Nokere Koerse: Lotte Kopecky takes emotional victory in women's race

NOKERE BELGIUM MARCH 15 Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Team SD Worx competes in the breakaway to win the 4th Danilith Nokere Koerse 2023 Womens Elite a 1291km one day race from Deinze to Nokere DanilithNokereKoerse on March 15 2023 in Nokere Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Lotte Kopecky (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) claimed a sensational and emotional victory at Nokere Koerse, crossing the line alone after an all-action display and after the recent death of her brother.

Kopecky's brother Seppe died on Saturday at the age of 29, and SD Worx encouraged her privacy to be respected as they confirmed she'd still line up for Wednesday's semi-classic.

Kopecky didn't only line up; she threw herself at it as if it were the last race of her career, attacking repeatedly from long range before finally stomping clear in the finale.

At that point, Kopecky's SD Worx teammates took the reigns and split the bunch into four groups over the key climb of Lange Aststraat. There was a regrouping at the front but the exposed roads and the Lededorp cobbles stretched things to breaking point once more.

A group of 41 riders reformed to take the bell as they crossed the finish line with one lap of 28.1km to ride. The first attack in the finale came from DSM's Daniel Hengeveld but it was short-lived as she slid out on the exit from the Herlegemstraat cobbles.

Movistar's Aude Biannic was next, and she timed her move well, gaining 20 seconds as the race hit Lange Aststraat again with 12km to go. That's where Kopecky launched, storming through to the front. Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE ADQ) sprinted after her, but no one else could follow.

Over the top, they reached Biannic and Kopecky continued to pile on the pressure before asking for collaboration as the gap stood at 18 seconds with 10km to go. None was forthcoming, and it soon became apparent that it was a case of 'unable' rather than 'unwilling'.

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Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.

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