Lotte Kopecky narrowly misses out on stage victory after a remarkably strong solo chase lasting many kilometres

Lotte Kopecky delivered an impressive performance in the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes. The Belgian rider of Team SD Worx-Protime launched a long-range attack, spent more than 60 kilometres chasing race leader Sigrid Haugset, and closed the gap metre by metre. In the end, Kopecky had to settle for second place after cramps slowed her down in the final phase of the race. But what a battle the champion put up. “I am definitely disappointed that I didn’t make it across,” said Kopecky.

Lotte Kopecky: “My biggest disappointment is that I just didn’t make it across,” Kopecky said afterwards. “I felt that I had paced my effort perfectly and was getting closer all the time. I could see her up the road and thought I would catch her within a few kilometres. But then I suddenly got cramps in my legs. From that moment on, I could no longer produce the same power and had to reduce my pace.”

According to the Belgian champion, it was not a matter of fitness. “I wasn’t completely exhausted, but with cramps you simply can’t continue the way you want to. That’s where it ends.”

Earlier in the race, Kopecky was part of a larger breakaway group, but the cooperation was not ideal. “There were around twelve riders in our group, but there was hardly any rotation. That was a shame because it could have become a strong breakaway.”

When it became clear that Haugset had built up a solid lead and the peloton was not responding immediately, Kopecky decided to launch her own attack. “She had about a minute’s advantage and I was feeling really strong. I didn’t want to wait for the gap to grow any bigger. That’s why I went on my own, hoping a few other riders would join me.”

For a long time, the gap hovered around one minute, making her realise it would not be an easy task. Nevertheless, she felt particularly strong on the climbs and saw her deficit gradually shrink. In the end, the effort proved just a little too much when the cramps struck.

Kopecky also wanted to temper criticism of her form afterwards. “Some people may think I’m not going well, but that’s absolutely not how I feel. This performance proves that. The heat certainly doesn’t make things any easier. It’s a constant battle, both against your rivals and against yourself.”

Sports director Danny Stam was especially impressed by the performance of his team leader. “Haugset rode an exceptional race,” said Stam. “We had identified beforehand that this was a stage in which Lotte could take her chance, and she truly gave absolutely everything.”

He also emphasised that second place is not a sign of weakness. “If you spend more than sixty kilometres on the attack and ultimately finish second, then you have delivered a top performance. Sometimes you simply come up against someone who is even stronger on that particular day. That was the case today.”