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SD Worx keeps rolling with Kopecky’s defence of the Ronde van Vlaanderen

Dutch team has won five of last seven WorldTour rounds

April 2, 2023
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On Sunday Lotte Kopecky continued SD Worx’s domination of the 2023 WorldTour by taking her second Ronde van Vlaanderen in a row. SD Worx has won five of the last seven rounds of the series, and at the Ronde they packed three riders into the top seven. Kopecky claimed the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad earlier in the season. Alison Jackson was the sole Canadian to finish at 47th.

Kopecky triumphing at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Introduction

Most of this season’s WorldTour one-day race winners were on the start line looking to prevent Annemiek van Vleuten of Movistar from taking her third title. Gent-Wevelgem champ Marlen Reusser joined SD Worx teammates Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes (Miron Ronde van Drenth), Trek’s Shirin van Anrooij (Trofeo Alfredo Binda), and DSM’s Pfeiffer Georgi (Bruge De Panne). SD Worx’s Dwars door Vlaanderen winner Demi Vollering was ready to throw down too.

The Canadian contingent was EF Eduction-TIBCO-SVB’s Alison Jackson and Sara Poidevin.

Over km, five sectors of cobbles and 13 climbs awaited the riders. Oude Kwaremont (2 km of 4.4 percent) and Paterberg (400 metres of 8.8 percent) were the last two climbs, with 13.3 km to the finish line in Oudenaarde after the final ascent.

There was no breakaway until the 64 km mark when Kiwi Ally Wollaston of AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step bolted. She wasn’t granted much of a gap over several climbs, and then with 62 km and five climbs remaining, Brit Elinor Barker and Swiss Elise Chabby bridged over. Human Powered Health, Movistar and Cofidis chased onto the Koppenberg.

The trio approached the Koppenberg with a 48-second advantage. Van Vleuten crashed near its foot. Reusser, Kopecky, Wiebes and Silvia Persico went clear after the trio was hauled in. With 37 km remaining the Taaienberg popped off Wiebes. Reusser went backward to the high-powered chase on the Kruisberg.

Finally, the chase 25 seconds behind, Kopecky distanced Persico on the Oude Kwaremont. Vollering and Reusser could sit in in the chase, whose members started to think about podium steps. Vollering celebrated her runner-up spot with gusto thirty six seconds after Kopecky crossed in triumph.

2023 Ronde van Vlaanderen
1) Lotte Kopecky (Belgium/SD Worx) 4:06:11
2) Demi Vollering (The Netherlands/SD Worx) +0:36
3) Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy/Trek-Segafredo) s.t.
4) Alison Jackson (Canada/EF Eduction-TIBCO-SVB) +5:00