Considering that Lotte Kopecky is the most successful rider in women's Tour of Flanders history, it's no surprise that she bullishly said she isn't concerned about whether or not her rivals view her as the main favourite for Sunday's race.
Kopecky will start as the defending champion, having claimed a record third crown in 2025 even without her best form and during a season filled with setbacks. If Tadej Pogačar defeats Mathieu van der Poel as he is expected to, Kopecky looks the most likely rider, male or female, to claim the elusive fourth Ronde van Vlaanderen crown, something no one has ever managed in 109 editions of the men's event and 22 of the women's race.
After a recon of the key parts of the course on Thursday, in typically wet and grey Belgian weather, Kopecky spoke at SD Worx-Protime's press moment at BMW Le Couter in Tielt, where her confidence was impossible to miss.
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"Actually, the whole spring I already have quite a good feeling. In the beginning, I was struggling a bit with I don't know what, but from Nokere Koerse on, I had the good vibe again," Kopecky told reporters after driving a yellow BMW into the dealership alongside her teammates.
"Then winning Milan San Remo, those two races really took away a lot of pressure that I put on myself. It gave me a lot of relief that the big Classic is already won, so for myself, in my head, it gives a lot of freedom going into the Tour of Flanders. I think we can be very hopeful for Sunday."
Kopecky was typically calm in her words, but the one time she slightly raised her tone was when asked whether she sees herself as the heavy favourite for De Ronde.
"I don't need to see myself as the top favourite. I know my qualities, I know my form, and that's enough," she said, firmly, knowing full well the difference between her top shape of 2026 and how much she struggled in the previous season.
"I don't really care if they see me as a top favourite or not. It's not going to influence my race.
"Compared to last year, [my shape] is so much better, so that's already a good thing. Form-wise, I'm just at the level I want to be. Normally, if you see San Remo, it should be enough to win classics."
Kopecky was back at her dominant best at San Remo in March, responding to the big attack of Puck Pieterse on the Poggio, before claiming the title from the small group that sprinted for victory. It was an ominous sign ahead of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, where she and Lorena Wiebes will once again make up a deadly duo that also gives them a tactical edge.
Kopecky will either make or follow the biggest moves on the climbs, and Wiebes will try her best to follow. Should Kopecky get away with any of her biggest rivals, which she went through on Thursday, she should always have the card of Wiebes being behind to play.
"I don't think names I will say will be surprises, but for sure. Marlen [Reusser] showed she's in good form. Demi [Vollering] is really good. Pauline [Ferrand-Prévot] is always a little bit of a question mark, but she's one of the top favourites as well," said Kopecky.
"I hope Marianne [Vos] is racing again, so she will be one to watch as well. Kim Le Court, Kasia [Niewiadoma], Lorena, me, yeah, there are a lot of riders who have a very big chance to win it."
Vollering and Reusser impressed at Dwars door Vlaanderen in the build-up to Flanders on Wednesday, finishing second and first from a late break for FDJ United Suez and Movistar, where Kopecky only managed 12th, and the three former SD Worx teammates will all be expected to play a big role on Sunday.
"The fact that we know each other, in some moments, we know how they think, and we know very well their qualities, but that's also the other way around," said Kopecky of whether there was an advantage to them racing together in the past.
"They know it from us as well, or from me; they know my strengths. They know how I think in racing, so somehow it's an advantage, but the same goes for them."
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