Lotte Kopecky continues to be aiming to win three medals within the particular person time trial, highway race, and Omnium on the Paris Olympic Video games, which shall be held from July 27 to August 11 regardless of having to recuperate from a COVID-19 an infection caught after the Giro d’Italia Ladies final week.
The Belgian all-rounder is the reigning World Champion within the highway race and medallist within the Omnium and says her possibilities of securing gold medals are larger in these two occasions. Nevertheless, she can even attempt her finest within the particular person time trial, which can kick off the biking occasions on Saturday.
“For me, too, [the time trial] is a query mark,” Kopecky instructed Sporza. “I’ve labored on it very exhausting. However I got here out of the Giro Donne with COVID. I believe I am resistant to it for some time now.
“I took it simple for a number of days. This weekend, my coaching through the monitor camp went effectively, and my values had been good. I do not assume that would be the downside.”
Kopecky completed the 2023 season on the first-ever mixed UCI World Championships in Glasgow, profitable three of the 4 world titles she pursued within the Elimination Race, Factors Race, after which taking a hard-fought solo victory within the highway race. She additionally earned a bronze medal within the Omnium.
She’s carried that success into this 12 months with a deal with the Spring Classics, the place she received Paris-Roubaix, and the Giro d’Italia Ladies, the place she completed second general behind Elisa Longo Borghini. She additionally received double highway and time trial titles on the Belgian Championships.
She mentioned that she’d been coaching extra on her time trial bike this 12 months within the lead-up to the Video games and questioned whether or not a gold or silver medal may be out of attain in opposition to riders like reigning World Champion Chloé Dygert.
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“I haven’t got a lot expertise on this half, however my type is sweet, and I am giving the perfect of myself. I’ve to be optimistic,” Kopecky mentioned. “It’s true that my chances are high higher within the different occasions, I’ve extra references there.”
Kopecky mentioned that whereas she believes she has finished the whole lot she will be able to to be in prime type forward of the Olympics, the time trial is an occasion the place she want to make extra enhancements.
Additionally see: Paris Olympics: Particular person Time Trial begin occasions and Who will win the Paris Olympics particular person time trial? Analysing the favourites
“I’ve solely been engaged on it for a 12 months. My place has improved rather a lot, the fabric and the clothes are good. I’ve finished the utmost for these Video games, however there may be nonetheless room for enchancment,” Kopecky mentioned.
“I believe I am prepared, and my type is sweet. If I get a medal on Saturday, that might be nice. If that does not work out, I do know that there shall be days with barely larger possibilities.”
The ladies will compete in a 32.4km time trial that begins upstream from the Eiffel Tower at Invalides. The beginning ramp is on the Esplanade, and the end is on the Pont Alexandre III. The route has twists and turns and is considerably technical, however it’s usually flat with a 5km ending straightaway
“It is not tremendous technical, however the highway floor will not be in good situation all over the place. You must be careful for potholes,” Kopecky mentioned of the course. “It is a very long time trial, and my energy comes when fatigue units in, though that is additionally a psychological sport. I hope to get up on Saturday with actually good legs.”
(Picture credit score: SWPix)
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