Lotte Kopecky world champion complements his spring campaign classics with Sunday femmes Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, and Belgian sought to add La Doyenne to her Palmarès after falling in La Flèche Wallonne in the midst of the week.
The SD Kopecky SD Worx-Protime Squad won 4 of the previous eight editions of the Ardennes monument, and Anna Van der Breggen and Demi Vollering divide two wins.
However, Belgian took part within the race just once, ending 38 last 12 months. Before this 12 months’s edition, which lasts 153 km from Bastogne to Liège, she said that she feels ready to take the challenge while she has “peace”, winning in spring after Flanders.
“The fact that I have already won during a trip to Flanders in my pocket gives me peace of mind. For me it is the best possible initial position, namely that I can work on Sunday in room and silence,” said Kopecky.
“If I had not won anything so far, the pressure would be much higher. But thanks to a trip around Flanders I already have a monument in my pocket, which gives confidence. I really like to set goals before the season, and then on Sunday it is an additional motivation to win in Liège-Bastogneni-Liège on Sunday.
“I feel I’m ready for it. Since the trip around Flanders and really only because the Golden Race in Amstel, I actually have such a fresh feeling that I used to be looking for again. It would be nice if I could have the identical feeling next Sunday. I also had a superb feeling within the Wednesday race, however the last climb just doesn’t suit me a lot.
Kopecky goes to the Walloon monument, through which Côte de Stockeu, Côte de la Redoute and Côte de Roche-Aux-Faucons are situated, 34 places on the Amstel Gold Race and 12 in La Flèche Wallonne.
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She fell victim to the disaster within the second race, won by the Fenix-Deceuninck album, although he said After ending, she had a “good feeling” before the weekend despite the disappointing result.
“I didn’t have a perfect start at Muur. Of course it’s my fault, but then you don’t have much space to make up for it on such climbing,” she said. “I had a good feeling in both races and I go on Sunday with a lot of confidence. Liège is more difficult than Flèche, but there is no such finish.”
Kopecky admitted that last 12 months’s debut of Liège was “disappointing”, despite her strong racing form. Nevertheless, she said that she was pleased that she began to discover: “Like this race and how to rose in the race.”
Her team SD Worx-Protime has already tasted success throughout the Ardennes classics, and Mischa Bredwold won the best win in her profession thanks to a 2 km solo duel for glory on the Amstel Gold Race.
The Dutch with Steffi Häberlin, Femke Gerritse and Mikaayla Harvey will be a part of the SD Worx team on Sunday. Van der Breggen, who omitted Flèche due to illness, will also position himself in Bastogne.
“Anna and I are a nice duo that complements. Thanks to the matching Anna you are sure in the finals. It is always nicer to go to the final with two,” Kopecky said about her teammate who returned to races this season after three years in a team automobile as Directeur Sportif.
“Of course, Anna has insight, and communication between us is very smooth. It is also nice to be able to exchange thoughts during the race. During the route after Flanders, she played an important role for me. She gave me great confidence in Oude Kwarmont. I hope that on Sunday we will be able to play the game on Sunday.”
“The fact that at the beginning we have such a strong team causes a lot of pressure. I just like to play various cards. Sometimes it falls and sometimes not. I don’t mind that it’s nice to share this pressure and have a free feeling in the race.
“What triumph in a rainbow T-shirt would mean for me? It would be a dream. If it succeeds, spring would be greater than successful. It would be very nice to be able to mark Liège-Basting-Liège.”
