Above the lot, the Belgian Lotte Kopecky world champion in road cycling – Liberation

The Belgian puncher, big favorite at the start of the race, raised her arms in Glasgow to win her first world title on the road. A success that crowns a contrasting year, made up of sporting successes and personal ordeals.

She was the big favourite, so she was scrutinized, attacked, left to her own devices, alone against all. But she triumphed. Belgian Lotte Kopecky became world road cycling champion on Sunday August 13, crossing the finish line alone in Glasgow. Ten seconds behind her, the Dutch Demi Vollering snatched second place by half a wheel from the Dane Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig. A podium of great runners, which highlights in gold the victory of the Belgian puncher.

To win, the Belgian survived throughout a race that started from the shores of Loch Lomond, a lake dear to Captain Haddock (but not for its water). In moors beaten by a wind to dehorn the Highlands, she knew how to stay safe from a peloton which had already melted by half before arriving in town. Then it was the demanding Glasgow circuit, which very quickly sorted out the good riders from the very best.

Among them, the Swiss Elise Chabbey, author of the issue of the day by isolating herself at the front for 50 kilometers. It will end up being taken over by a group of seven, who played for victory: in addition to the three medalists, there were also the Austrian Christina Schweinberger, the Briton Lizzie Deignan, the Swiss Marlen Reusser and the reigning Dutch world champion. Annemiek van Vleuten. Lotte Kopecky was the strongest, despite a cold blood strained by the attempts of each other.

“An incredible but very difficult year”

The Belgian is used to winning. This season more than ever: she won her second Tour of Flanders in a row, became Belgian road champion for the third time in her career, won the first stage of the Tour de France, wore the yellow jersey for six stages , finished the Grande Boucle second. Even the world champion’s rainbow helmet is not unknown to her: if only last week, she won two on the track, in the elimination and points race events. But the 27-year-old runner had never been crowned on the road, she who saw victory slip away from under her nose last year in Australia, to the detriment of a late attack from Annemiek van Vleuten.

After the finish, there were tears, as often. But those of Lotte Kopecky had a special meaning, more serious than usual. “It was an incredible but very difficult year, I don’t know what allowed me to continue…, she let go immediately at the microphone. This win means a lot to me.” At the beginning of March, Lotte Kopecky was struck by a family drama: the brutal death of her older brother, Seppe, at the age of 29, who was a fleeting hope of Belgian cycling. Four days later, it still lined up for the Nokere Koerse, one of the Belgian spring classics. To win and pay tribute to “the one who made him want to ride a bike”. A ray of sunshine after the rain, that’s how rainbows are born.