The 154 kilometers mined of very hard ramps through the streets of Glasgow were not enough. Neither was the stage of the race, with frustrating situations, without support in the relay. Lotte Kopecky could with everything. The Belgian was proclaimed world road cycling champion with a display of power and perseverance that allowed her to cross the finish line alone ahead of the Dutch Demi Vollering and the Danish Cecilie Ludwig.
“It’s been an amazing year, very hard. This victory means a lot to me. It’s a dream come true. I hope to enjoy next year with the rainbow,” explained Kopecky, 27, through tears, who became the first Belgian to win a World Cup since the triumph of her compatriot Nicole Vandenbroeck in 1973. Rumst’s, a classicsman, had already won two gold medals on the track in Scotland and has now won eleven races this season, in addition to finishing second in the Tour de France against forecast.
The bell that announced the start of the last lap of the circuit opened hostilities in the front group, with 14 kilometers to go. The Swiss Chabbey, escaped alone with 74 kilometers to go, was neutralized by a selection of seven cyclists from which Van Vleuten ended up falling off after suffering a second puncture. The Dutch veteran lost all options to retain the title.
Kopecky, who had already led the hunt for Chabbey, saw English Deignan and Austrian Schweinberger, both surprise guests among the favourites, jump out of the group with 12 kilometers to go. After the abandonment in the time trial, Reusser wanted to remove his thorn and responded to the attack, just like a full Kopecky, always with a point more strength than his rivals.
Tour de France champion Demi Vollering strained her weary legs on one of the demanding ridges to bring the group back together. But the effort of the Dutch, already with cramps, was in vain. Just a few meters later, the Danish Ludwig made the umpteenth change of pace, totally insufficient before the explosive reaction from behind, in one of the hard climbs, of a Kopecky who, with five kilometers to go, went alone for the gold.
The Belgian looked back a couple of times only to verify that now, after several attempts, she had managed to break her opponents, and all without response. Kopecky, who finished second last year, was even able to savor the last meters of her victory, quite the opposite of Ludwig, who was overtaken in an agonizing sprint by an insatiable Vollering. Reusser had to settle for the chocolate medal. The best Spanish was Mavi García, who finished tenth.
