'I knew that I had fast legs' – Lotte Kopecky wins Milan-San Remo Donne in a reduced sprint after late move on the Poggio

After claiming her first win of the season at Nokere Koerse earlier in the week, Lotte Kopecky emerged victorious once again at Milan-San Remo Donne, as she produced a powerful sprint to win from a five-rider group that had gone clear on the Poggio in the final kilometres of the race.

The SD Worx-Protime rider had followed a move by Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) towards the top of the final climb, which also dragged Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ) and Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) clear of the main group.

Efforts to extend their advantage on the descent meant that the group came onto the Via Roma with their slender lead over the chaser behind still intact. Kopecky then opened the sprint from the wheel of Włodarczyk with nobody able to come around her, as she managed to hold off Rüegg to take the victory.

The Swiss rider finished ahead of Gasparrini to claim the runner-up spot and back-to-back podium finishes at this race, after her third place in 2025. Meanwhile, last year’s winner Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) won the sprint from the group behind to finish in sixth place, before joining her teammate Kopecky in celebration once she had crossed the finish line.

“It’s just amazing,” said Kopecky in her post-race interview. “I had full support today from the team. I was also really confident after winning on Wednesday and for me, the whole race just fell into place. Our team took the responsibility when we had to and the girls did a great job to bring us into the right place towards the climbs.

“I was really happy that I could finally answer the attack on the climb,” she continued. “Going over the top, on the descent with the five of us, then I knew I just really had to be patient and also know that Lorena [Wiebes] was still behind. I think I started my sprint at the perfect moment and I’m super happy that I could finish it off.”

On her approach to the finale, the former World Champion said, “I was very attentive for a late attack from the ones behind. I knew I could not let that happen, but we were all fast in the sprint, so we gambled on a sprint and I knew that I had fast legs.”

The finale of the race was marred by a nasty crash on the descent of the Cipressa, as Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) overcooked a sharp corner and went down, causing several others to hit the deck, including some who went over the railing at the side of the road.

When asked about the descents off the Cipressa and Poggio, Kopecky said “the descents here are always tricky, it’s very important to know them well. I hope Kasia is okay after crashing on the Cipressa. The descent of the Poggio is super fast and you just need to know it by heart.”

More to follow...

Results

Milan-San Remo Donne: Genoa > San Remo (153km)

1. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime, in 3:47:17
2. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly
3. Eleanora Gasparrini (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
4. Puck Pieterse (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech, all at same time
5. Dominika Włodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team ADQ, +4s
6. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +9s
7. Ally Wollaston (NZl) FDJ United-SUEZ
8. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek
9. Charlotte Kool (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech
10. Chiara Consonni (Ita) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto, all at same time