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Lotte Kopecky is uncertain as as to whether she’s going to journey the Tour de France Femmes this yr as a result of its shut proximity to the Paris Olympics.
The Belgian will goal a mixture of observe occasions and the street race in Paris which means that she could not make the beginning line for the Tour de France which begins in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in early August.
After getting her season underway on the girls’s UAE Tour subsequent month, Kopecky will then take goal on the Classics as soon as once more. Kopecky won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Opening Weekend last year earlier than going on to triumph for a second time at the Tour of Flanders in April.
Chatting with the press forward of the 2024 season, she defined {that a} determination on her Tour de France Femmes participation is more likely to come as soon as the Classics are out of the way in which.
She stated: “First I concentrate on the Classics as a result of these are additionally crucial to me. I simply hope that I could make a great Classics season and simply go along with good vibes in the direction of this build-up to the Olympics.
“After which I believe with the mix of observe and street I already proved that that is one thing I can do, and it would not actually have an effect on observe or street races for me.
“So I am going to end the classics season in Liège and after that, I am going to actually make a very detailed programme in the direction of the Olympics. And in addition the Tour de France is excellent after. That is additionally one thing we’ll focus on later if I’ll do the Tour de France or not.”
“That is one thing I actually wish to begin to actually get utterly deliberate or organised after the Classics,” she added. “Then now we have a full imaginative and prescient of how I’m at that second. I believe it is best for me to plan it fairly late.”
Kopecky defined that one in all her most important targets this spring is to peak in time for Paris-Roubaix, a race she is but to win. When requested whether or not Roubaix was an outright goal, the 28-year-old wouldn’t be drawn both approach. However the message was clear, if the shape is there when the race comes round then Kopecky will definitely look to take it on.
“Final yr, I managed to get truly on a really excessive degree via the entire spring however now I attempt to perhaps peak a bit bit later, extra within the interval of Paris-Roubaix, Amstel, Liège,” she stated. “As a result of if you’re already at the true prime of your recreation in Omloop then it is exhausting to maintain this manner for 2 months.
“So yeah, I took issues a bit bit simpler this winter, to get in my greatest type at the start of April and attempt to maintain it the entire month.”
“It is a race I simply actually like,” she defined when elaborating on Paris-Roubaix. “I imply, it is preventing via to each cobbled part… It is a very cool race and I simply hope I can win it in the future. However I additionally realise that it is actually exhausting to say or harmful to say I wish to win Paris-Roubaix or put all my playing cards on that race as a result of the race could be over earlier than you realize it.”
“That is why I say the month of April is for me crucial as a result of then you realize, I imply, if you happen to’re good within the Tour of Flanders then you definitely’re additionally good at Paris-Roubaix and also you’re additionally good in Amstel.
“So it is extra of a interval I attempt to goal and probably not simply that one race, though it will be good if I can simply win that race.
“However we’ll see. It is a particular race, it is a good race and I simply attempt to go there with out an excessive amount of stress. And I believe that also works the most effective for me.”
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