'The racing season only really starts with the Omloop Nieuwsblad' – Lotte Kopecky to start year at Opening Weekend, reveals spring schedule

Lotte Kopecky has said 'the racing season only really starts with the Omloop Nieuwsblad" as she prepares to make her season debut at Opening Weekend.

The SD Worx-Protime rider, a former winner at Omloop, revealed her spring schedule on Thursday, which concludes with a first appearance since 2022 at the Vuelta España Femenina.

The former world champion will ride Strade Bianche, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Nokere Koerse, Milan-San Remo, Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders, and then Paris-Roubaix Femmes.

A European champion on the track, she will then head to the UCI World Cup in Hong Kong in April, before appearing back on the road at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes. She will then tackle the Vuelta in May.

"I've had a trouble-free winter. The signs are good, but this is the first real test. It's only in competition that you know how the level compares," Kopecky said in a press release.

"I'm really looking forward to starting the season. During training camp, I was counting down the days until I could race again. Maybe it's a bit old school, but for me, the racing season only really starts with the Omloop Nieuwsblad.

"Without wanting to detract from the Tour Down Under, UAE Tour or Valencia, for the average racing fan, this is the real start. At the Omloop, it's really all about the big prizes."

"I've always preferred the Classics period," she continued. "Even though I have other goals in the summer, I always think it's important to have a good spring. Just as you need a good winter to be good in the spring, a strong Classics campaign is often the basis for success in the summer. Then you're in the right flow."

Last year, Kopecky went all in on a GC bid for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, that was derailed by knee and lower back pain, and she has ruled out a repeat. She still won the Tour of Flanders for a third time, but it was a mixed 2025; this year, she seems back on track.

"Compared to last year, I will be able to start my season feeling much better," Kopecky said. "It was a winter without too many incidents. I was able to do what I wanted: I completed some great training camps with lots of training hours. The tests were good, although that doesn't fully reflect the race rhythm. But the signs are positive and that gives me confidence to start the season.

"I don't really have one particular race that I absolutely want to win this season. I prefer to go into every race with an open mind. I want to see how the race unfolds, where opportunities arise and where I can force things. The advantage of our team is that we can often play different cards. If you don't necessarily start with the best legs, you don't have to worry because your teammates can finish it off for you."