A rainy day in Zurich, Switzerland, delivered two spectacular rainbows when Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky powered to a second successive title in the Women Elite road race while the Netherlands’ Puck Pieterse took the Women Under 23 title at the UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships.
Kopecky is the first rider to win the event two years in a row since Marianne Vos did so in 2012 and 2013. She’s also won six UCI World Champion titles on the track.
The USA’s Chloé Dygert and Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini completed the Elite podium. Australia’s Neve Bradbury and Germany’s Antonia Niedermaier took the Women Under 23 silver and bronze medals behind Pieterse.
Kopecky dedicated her first words after the race to Switzerland’s Muriel Furrer, who passed away on Friday after suffering serious injuries in a fall during Thursday’s Women Junior road race: “First of all, I want to bring my condolences to the family of Muriel,” said Kopecky.
She then described the ups and downs she experienced during Saturday’s road race before sprinting to victory.
“From three laps to go, I was actually freezing,” the Belgian said. “But I tried to keep my head as cool as possible and I didn’t have any troubles but on the longer one (climb), when Demi [Vollering] went, I had some difficulties but I tried to keep my own pace and come back. In the end, it was a lot of mind games. A rider [Elisa Longo Borghini] came from the back with speed and Demi replied immediately, which was perfect for me.”
The 154.1km race opened up early and the relentless pace led to some very intense racing on the four laps of the closing city circuit (26.9km). Oranje jerseys were highly visible, recognisable not only due to their distinctive orange colour, but also the aggressive tactics of the riders wearing them.
Three Dutchwomen - Demi Vollering, Marianne Vos and Riejanne Markus - were among the nine athletes at the front into the last 10 kilometres. Vollering gave it her all to get rid of her rivals, but there were still six riders in the sprint for victory. Kopecky proved to be the strongest.
In the group sprinting for 10th place, Pieterse (13th) was the first Under 23 rider to cross the line, claiming the rainbow jersey ahead of Bradbury (15th) and Niedermaier (18th), also part of the same group.