World champion Lotte Kopecky is rounding off her spring Classics marketing campaign with Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, with the Belgian aiming so as to add La Doyenne to her palmarès following a fall at La Flèche Wallonne midweek.
Kopecky’s SD Worx-Protime squad have gained 4 of the earlier eight editions of the Ardennes Monument, with Anna van der Breggen and Demi Vollering sharing two wins apiece.
The Belgian, nonetheless, has solely taken half within the race as soon as, ending thirty eighth final yr. Talking forward of this yr’s version, which runs 153km from Bastogne to Liège, she stated that she feels able to tackle the problem, whereas she has a “peace of thoughts” having already gained the Tour of Flanders this spring.
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“The truth that I have already got a win within the Tour of Flanders in my pocket offers me peace of thoughts. For me, that’s the very best beginning place, specifically that I can work in the direction of Sunday in peace and quiet,” Kopecky stated.
“If I had not gained something up to now, the strain would have been lots increased. However with the Tour of Flanders, I have already got a Monument in my pocket, so that offers confidence. I actually take pleasure in setting objectives earlier than the season after which dwelling as much as them. That in itself is an additional motivation to additionally have the ability to win in Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.
“I believe I am prepared for it. For the reason that Tour of Flanders and really solely because the Amstel Gold Race, I’ve that brisker feeling I used to be searching for once more. It will be good if I can have that very same feeling subsequent Sunday. I additionally had a superb feeling in Wednesday’s race, however that final climb simply would not swimsuit me as a lot. So, I am heading to Liège constructive and with confidence.”
Kopecky heads into the Walloon Monument, which options the Côte de Stockeu, Côte de la Redoute, and Côte de Roche-aux-Faucons, off the again of a thirty fourth place at Amstel Gold Race and twelfth at La Flèche Wallonne.
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She fell sufferer to a crash within the latter race, gained by Fenix-Deceuninck’s Puck Pieterse, although advised WielerFlits after the end that she had a “good feeling” forward of the weekend regardless of the disappointing outcome.
“I did not have a really perfect begin on the Muur. That is my very own fault, in fact, however then you do not have a lot room to make up for it on a climb like this,” she stated. “I had a superb feeling in each races, and I am going into Sunday with numerous confidence. Liège is tougher than Flèche, however it would not have a end like this.”
Kopecky admitted that final yr’s Liège debut was “disappointing” regardless of her robust type heading into the race. Nonetheless, she stated that she was glad she began to seek out out “how that race goes and the way the climbs in a race really feel.”
Her SD Worx-Protime crew have already tasted success in the course of the Ardennes Classics, with Mischa Bredewold scoring the most important win of her profession with a 2km solo journey to glory at Amstel Gold Race.
The Dutchwoman, together with Steffi Häberlin, Femke Gerritse, and Mikayla Harvey, will type a part of the SD Worx squad on Sunday. Van der Breggen, who skipped Flèche as a result of sickness, may even line up in Bastogne.
“Anna and I are a pleasant duo who complement one another. With a match Anna, you just about have a certainty within the ultimate. It is at all times nicer to enter the ultimate with two,” Kopecky stated of her teammate, who returned to racing this season following three years within the crew automotive as directeur sportif.
“Anna has numerous course perception, and communication between the 2 of us could be very clean. It is also good to have the ability to trade ideas in the course of the race. Within the Tour of Flanders, she performed an necessary position for me. She gave me numerous confidence in the direction of the Oude Kwaremont. I hope we will play the sport collectively on Sunday.”
“The truth that we’ve such a powerful crew initially takes numerous strain off. I identical to with the ability to play completely different playing cards. Generally it falls your approach and typically not. I do not thoughts that both, it is simply good to share that strain and have a freer feeling within the race.
“What triumphing within the rainbow jersey would imply to me? It will be a dream. If that might succeed, spring can be greater than profitable. It will be very nice to have the ability to tick off Liège-Bastogne-Liège.”