As Remco Evenepoel became the 23rd male cyclist to win the Belgian Sportsman of the Year award on Sunday night, Lotte Kopecky set a milestone as the first rider from the women's peloton to pick up the Belgian Sportswoman of the Year.
The SD Worx superstar enjoyed the best season of her career in 2023, becoming world champion on the road and the track as well as picking up Classics wins at the Tour of Flanders, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and Nokere Koerse.
If that wasn't enough, she took national titles in the road race and time trial and led the Tour de France Femmes for six days, winning a stage en route to second overall and the points jersey in Pau.
All that – and more besides – saw the 28-year-old pro cyclist win the award ahead of EuroBasket and Euroleague basketball champion and MVP Emma Meesseman and world bronze and European silver medallist figure skater Loena Hendrickx.
"My week in Glasgow stood out in 2023. The Tour de France couldn't compete with that. But a rainbow dress would have been a bit too flashy," Kopecky told Het Nieuwsblad, jokily referencing the yellow dress she wore for the ceremony.
"That very first world title on the road I rate even higher than the one on the track. Anyway, Glasgow was one protracted highlight in a year that was fantastic sport-wise. I think that I couldn't do much more this year."
Kopecky, whose 14 road wins in 2023 also included the Simac Ladies Tour and the Thüringen Ladies Tour, called the season her "year of resilience", having suffered the loss of her brother Seppe in March. Three days later she went on to take an emotional win in Nokere Koerse.
"It was a great season that may be very difficult for me to match," she said. "For me, this was especially the year of a lot of resilience. I thank my family, my team and some special friends who supported me in the difficult moments."
She said that being first to win the award – by comparison, it has gone to tennis players 16 times and judoka 11 times – wasn't overly important to her. Instead, she noted the high level of competition across numerous sports and said that she hopes to set an example for the next generation of riders.
"I'm not that concerned about being the first in something," Kopecky said. "I don't attach much value to that. But I am proud to stand here as a woman and a cyclist. I rate this trophy very highly because this competition covers all sports. This was a moment I definitely didn't want to miss.
"When I see how much attention there is for women's cycling now compared to five years ago it has become a different world. I just hope to continue to set a good example for the youth and make sure the next generation can reap the benefits.
"I'm not someone who is going to commit to 10,000 different initiatives, but I do hope to inspire the youth through my achievements. I think I'm pretty good at that."
Kopecky and her SD Worx teammates, including fellow stars Demi Vollering, Lorena Wiebes, and Marlen Reusser, are in Spain this week for a pre-season training camp where the team will plan for the new season.
For Kopecky – ranked second in the 2023 UCI world rankings behind Vollering – and her team which racked up a massive 61 wins, maintaining the amazing level of success will be a huge challenge going forward.
"Staying at the top is probably even more difficult than getting there, I'm aware of that," Kopecky said. "In any case, I'm really looking forward to it. I want to really peak for the first time in April.
"Spring will be very important for me. I still have an open account with Paris-Roubaix. Only after the spring will I decide about participating in the Tour de France Femmes. There's still a lot of doubt, even though the Tour passes through Belgium. But the Olympics are important – they will be really special."
