The Lotte Kopecky Fan Thread

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Feb 24, 2020
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A fun fact that's not mentioned here: In June and early July she did a few races with the men juniors in Belgium. Since covid Flanders Cycling allows elite women to enter those races. The intention was to keep her in shape for the upcoming NC and Tour as the Lotto Belgium Tour was canceled but it was also a good challenge for her as the pace is faster and the punches and sprints typically harder compared to woman elite. The first time she finished in the peleton after being in front a few times. The following races she was 2nd, 4th, 3th and 5th. It shows how strong she is.
 
Sep 5, 2016
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If you have not yet watched her track racing highlights on YouTube.. Do yourself a bike racing solid!! She squirts to the front whenever it's important and her cadence makes your heart rate increase as you watch her
 
Feb 20, 2010
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Well, his is a skinsuit which he shouldn't have without the little CX icon, because he's not the TT World Champ.

And her kit has black shorts instead of white, so is automatically an improvement.
 
May 3, 2010
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Winning the Strade in the rainbow jersey is a new highlight in her career. She came to the front just in time before Le Tolfe and did a perfect race after that, trusting she could handle Borghini on that uphill finish. I think she'll do something back for Vollering in Liège.
 

ManicJack

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Apr 4, 2023
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Winning the Strade in the rainbow jersey is a new highlight in her career. She came to the front just in time before Le Tolfe and did a perfect race after that, trusting she could handle Borghini on that uphill finish. I think she'll do something back for Vollering in Liège.
With 10k to go, you could tell she was comfortable, super smooth on the bike and ready to finish the job. Did not look labored at all. Impressive.
 
May 3, 2010
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With the WC, RvV and Roubaix she has now won the three biggest road races that suit her. The previous two were solo; this time she did it in a sprint. She must have been confident in that sprint, given her experience on the track. She didn't have to take turns, because Wiebes was in the second group.

Her sprint was short, but explosive. I thought she came from too far and almost got locked in, but the outburst at the end was spectacular: with powerful strokes, out of the saddle, tongue hanging out. That must have been the most important sprint of her career. She's the first Belgian and the first from SD Worx to win Paris-Roubaix.
 
Jul 10, 2009
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With the WC, RvV and Roubaix she has now won the three biggest road races that suit her. The previous two were solo; this time she did it in a sprint. She must have been confident in that sprint, given her experience on the track. She didn't have to take turns, because Wiebes was in the second group.

Her sprint was short, but explosive. I thought she came from too far and almost got locked in, but the outburst at the end was spectacular: with powerful strokes, out of the saddle, tongue hanging out. That must have been the most important sprint of her career. She's the first Belgian and the first from SD Worx to win Paris-Roubaix.
Balsamo made what looked like a pretty smart move on the outside to box in Lotte, and at that moment I really thought that was it for her. Super strong determined sprint to pull that one off.
 
Feb 20, 2012
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It's all about legs and very little about track experience. I'd argue many overreact to the track element and start their sprint too early in Roubaix.
 
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Sep 26, 2020
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With the WC, RvV and Roubaix she has now won the three biggest road races that suit her. The previous two were solo; this time she did it in a sprint. She must have been confident in that sprint, given her experience on the track. She didn't have to take turns, because Wiebes was in the second group.

Her sprint was short, but explosive. I thought she came from too far and almost got locked in, but the outburst at the end was spectacular: with powerful strokes, out of the saddle, tongue hanging out. That must have been the most important sprint of her career. She's the first Belgian and the first from SD Worx to win Paris-Roubaix.

With the level she has now, there aren't many races where she doesn't have some chance of winning. Unless she's too tired or the best version of Vollering returns, she can win LBL if it becomes a tactical affair.
 
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Jul 9, 2009
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Balsamo made what looked like a pretty smart move on the outside to box in Lotte, and at that moment I really thought that was it for her. Super strong determined sprint to pull that one off.
It didn't hurt that Balsamo and Vos spent quite a long time elbow to elbow and so made a pretty big hole in the wind for Kopecky to accelerate through.
 
Dec 6, 2013
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Well, his is a skinsuit which he shouldn't have without the little CX icon, because he's not the TT World Champ.

And her kit has black shorts instead of white, so is automatically an improvement.
Sorry to be so late on the reply here, but skin suits aren't just for TTs. I used skin suits for many years racing XC dirt because they are even more comfortable than bibs, and also cooler in the summer heat. I think that a lot of the teams use them for road stages for various reason. Maybe not so convenient for ladies though.
 
Dec 6, 2013
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It's all about legs and very little about track experience. I'd argue many overreact to the track element and start their sprint too early in Roubaix.
But wouldn't track experience help them measure their sprint, on a track, better?
 
Sep 26, 2020
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She doesn't look to be in her best climbing form atm. Got dropped on the hills in RVV. Looks like she's carrying some excess weight, so i'm not sure.

She get in trouble if it turns into a hammer fest on Redoute and Roche-aux-Faucons, but if it becomes a tactical race or she manages to get a gap in-between the climbs, there's possibilities. AGR will of course suit her more though.
 
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Mar 10, 2009
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She get in trouble if it turns into a hammer fest on Redoute and Roche-aux-Faucons, but if it becomes a tactical race or she manages to get a gap in-between the climbs, there's possibilities. AGR will of course suit her more though.
She seems to lack the punch she had last year all season (from her attack on the Muur in omloop to that in the wcrr). Allthough agr should suit her more than lbl, it would surprise me if she does better, or even equally good, as last year.
 
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Feb 20, 2010
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Sorry to be so late on the reply here, but skin suits aren't just for TTs. I used skin suits for many years racing XC dirt because they are even more comfortable than bibs, and also cooler in the summer heat. I think that a lot of the teams use them for road stages for various reason. Maybe not so convenient for ladies though.
I still think they're ugly as sin and wearing them in a road stage should be a sanctionable offence.

Especially if paired with a POC helmet.
 
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