Lotte Kopecky has been crowned world champion in the points race at the World Track Cycling World Championships in Roubaix. The Belgian trumped the competition in a nerve-racking race and closed her fantastic World Cup with gold and 2x silver. In the men’s team race, the departing Kenny De Ketele and Robbe Ghys took the bronze medal.
View the report:
Impressive Lotte Kopecky conquers world title points race
Lotte Kopecky had already demonstrated her top form this World Cup with silver in the elimination and omnium. Our compatriot also drove a tactically strong race in the points race.
The farewell Dutch Kirsten Wild was early in the race the goblin in terms of points, but an alert Kopecky also spoke a nice word. She gathered the necessary points in between and was always on the lookout for the breakaways.
Still, Kopecky had to tolerate the British Katie Archibald for a long time in the standings, but in a blood-curdling denouement she managed to rake together a bonus round for the 3rd time and that turned out to be too much for the competition.
A very strong Kopecky was able to finish the last laps in a controlled manner and with a smile on her face, she won her first individual world title on the track. In 2017 she already won gold in the team race alongside Jolien D’hoore.
“Finally!” Kopecky laughed after the race. “I was a bit amazed at how my legs felt this week. I had a really good feeling coming to this World Cup with the idea that I was mentally a bit exhausted.”
“Today I threw everything out again. I could read the race very well. I knew when to go and when to scroll dots. When you become world champion, everything falls together and that was certainly the case today.”
“The Olympics didn’t turn out as I expected, but this rainbow jersey makes up for a lot. And now vacation, finally.”
The final stage of Kopecky’s golden race:
Kopecky: “I couldn’t quite believe it”
Bronze for Kenny De Ketele and Robbe Ghys
Kenny De Ketele and Robbe Ghys also received a medal on Sunday. The Belgian duo took the bronze medal in a very exciting team race.
De Ketele, who will soon hang his bike on the hook, had already won silver in the points race at this World Cup and can say goodbye in beauty with the bronze in the team race.
The Belgians were well into the race from the start, but had to rectify a crooked situation in the final phase of the race to take a medal.
Thanks to a good final shot by De Ketele and Ghys, they moved up one place to the bronze. The world title went to Denmark, Italy took silver.
“There was more to it”, said Robbe Ghys afterwards. “Although Kenny had to drag me through it.”
“I was devastated myself,” replied Kenny De Ketele. “It was a drive until everyone had their heads off. We could just as easily have been 1st, 2nd or 4th. So we can still be satisfied with 3rd place.”
Watch the final of an exciting team race:
De Ketele and Ghys: “There might have been more in it”
