A difficult decision - Lotte Kopecky will not defend title at Rwanda Road World Championships

Lotte Kopecky will not defend her title at the upcoming UCI Road World Championships held in Kigali, Rwanda, at the end of September. Belgian Cycling announced the rosters for each category on Tuesday, and the reigning two-time road world champion was not among the five riders selected to represent the country in the elite women's road race held on September 27.

"She had hoped for a turnaround in the final weeks, but now she's decided to skip the World Championships because she's not convinced she's 100% ready. It's largely a mental issue," national coach Ludwig Willems told WielerFlits.

"She made it known this week ... As a federation, we're not going to put pressure on Lotte to participate. She's already achieved so much, and we have far too much respect for her."

Although the absence of Kopecky is a loss for the Belgians at this edition of the World Championships, the national team revealed the elite men's roster that will be led by Remco Evenepoel, who won the road race world title in 2022 in Wollongong, and who will be vying for a third consecutive time trial world title having won the rainbow bands in 2023 in Glasgow and 2024 in Zürich.

Kopecky had a standout season in 2024, where she claimed 16 victories, including Paris-Roubaix, road and time trial titles at the Belgian Championships, a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, and a second consecutive elite road race world title in Zürich.

She started her season later than usual at Milan-San Remo, partly to give her more time to recover from an injury at the end of the 2024 season and to allow her the freedom to focus on select races in 2025.

While she won the Tour of Flanders, she later struggled with an ongoing back injury that led to her abandoning the Giro d'Italia and that disrupted much of her summer stage racing season.

She initially targeted a strong GC performance at the Tour de France Femmes, but was unable to meet those expectations early on and switched to a support role for SD Worx-Protime in the nine-day race, where Lorena Wiebes won two stages and the points jersey, and Anna van der Breggen finished 11th overall.

"We're grateful for what Lotte has achieved. But we have to give her time to recharge, rest, and take stock. Then we'll see a better version of Lotte in the foreseeable future," Willems said.

The multi-discipline athlete has not competed on the road since the Tour de France Femmes, but returned to track racing in Prague, where she won the omnium, elimination, and points race during the two-day UCI event.

Willems explained that Kopecky had hoped to wait to make her decision on the World Championships participation after competing at the Tour de l'Ardeche next week, and that it was "a difficult decision" that had come sooner than anticipated.

Kopecky will compete at the Tour de l'Ardeche from September 9-14 and will then turn her attention to track racing and possibly the time trial event at the European Championships on October 1 in Étoile-sur-Rhône, a title she also won last year.

The elite women's team set to compete at the Road Worlds features Marthe Goossens, Julie Van de Velde, Margot Vanpachtenbeke, Marieke Meerts, and Justine Ghekiere.

"We'll have five riders at the start, three of whom were in the breakaway group for the win in Plouay. The medal chances are smaller than with Lotte, but we have five solid riders who can ride a great race. The news will be a huge shock within the group, because the riders don't know yet," Willems said.

Kopecky is one of several riders to opt out of the World Championships this year, with Puck Pieterse, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout Van Aert among those who will not be in attendance.

Individual time trial

Junior Women: Laura Fivé

Junior Men: Thor Michielsen, Seff van Kerckhove. Reserve: Mats Vanden Eynde

U23 Women: Lore De Schepper, Fleur Moors

U23 Men: Jonathan Vervenne, Jarno Widar

Elite Women: Marthe Goossens

Elite Men: Remco Evenepoel, Ilan van Wilder, Florian Vermeersch. Reserve: Alec Segaert

Mixed Team Relay

Elite Men: Victor Campenaerts, Florian Vermeersch, Jonathan Vervenne. Reserve: Ilan van Wilder

Elite Women: Marthe Goossens, Julie van de Velde, Margot Vanpachtenbeke. Reserve: Marieke Meert

Road Race

Junior Women: Auke de Buysser, Laura Fivé, Sanne Laurijssen

Junior Men: Edouard Claisse, Thor Michielsen, Mats Vanden Eynde, Seff van Kerckhove, Tuur Verbeeck. Reserves: Leander de Gendt, Mathias de Keersmaeker, Jinze Joris

U23 Women: Lore De Schepper, Tess Moerman, Fleur Moors, Xaydée van Sinaey

U23 Men: Aaron Dockx, Kamiel Eeman, Tim Rex, Jasper Schoofs, Jarno Widar. Reserves: Milan Donie, Niels Driesen, Aldo Taillieu

Elite Women: Justine Ghekiere, Marthe Goossens, Marieke Meert, Julie van de Velde, Margot Vanpachtenbeke

Elite Men: Tiesj Benoot, Victor Campenaerts, Remco Evenepoel, Quinten Hermans, Xandro Meurisse, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Ilan van Wilder, Florian Vermeersch