Lotte Kopecky sprinted to victory at Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift on Saturday afternoon, claiming SD-Worx Protime's first title in the race.
The world champion was active throughout the 148.5km event, leading into the first cobbled sector and closing down moves throughout the day. Kopecky came into the velodrome in a six-rider group, and dashed from behind to beat Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) over the line.
British national champion Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL) pipped Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) to take the final podium spot. Ellen van Dijk and Amber Kraak (FDJ-Suez) were also part of the winning move.
Kopecky's victory comes after two years of frustration for the Belgian at the race. In 2022, she finished second, having led the chase behind Elisa Longo Borghini. The 28-year-old found herself in pursuit again in 2023, that time finishing seventh, a handful of seconds behind the breakaway.
The emotion of finally reaching the top step was clear as she crossed the line. Roaring into the wind, Kopecky drew her hands together in a thunderous clap, and then slapped her hands down on her legs.
"This was the goal of the season," she said afterwards, her face covered in dirt, smiling back at the TV cameras.
How it happened
Having remained together on the flat run-in, the peloton began thinning out from the first of 17 sectors. In total, the riders would face 29km of bone-rattling cobblestones, and as the first few appeared in front of them, Kopecky made her way to the front of the pack.
With 53km to go, the world champion began to turn the screw. Accelerating over the cobbles, she drew with her three others – Vos, Georgi (dsm-firmenich-PostNL) and Christina Schweinberger (Fenix Deceuninck) – and a front quartet went clear.
The move, however, lasted just a handful of kilometres; it was reeled in by Lidl-Trek’s Van Dijk on Mons-en-Pévèle, the first of two five-star sectors.
As the mood then relaxed, Jade Wiel (FDJ-Suez) picked an opportune moment to launch an attack of her own. The former French champion peeled off the front with 33km remaining, and quickly gained 30 seconds on the pack. There was no initial chase, but after 10km alone in the wind, Wiel was swallowed up, Van Dijk again responsible for closing the gap.
The Dutchwoman then went on the attack herself, together with Amber Kraak (FDJ-Suez). Within 20km from the line, the leading duo were caught by Kopecky, Vos and Balsamo, and the five-rider group charged onto the race’s most brutal sector, the Carrefour de l’Arbre. Before the 2km stretch was over, Balsamo had been dropped off the back.
Behind, Georgi chased doggedly. The British champion swept up Balsamo and, leaning over her handlebars, towed the Italian back onto the front group. Six riders then led into the finale.
Van Dijk swung first onto the outdoor velodrome, setting up the sprint for Balsamo. After working so hard to rejoin the front of the race, Georgi sprung a surprise early dash to the line, forcing her rivals to follow. Balsamo and Vos obliged, but as the sprinted side-by-side, they provided the perfect slipstream for Kopecky to round them and claim victory.
Standing red-eyed in the velodrome at the end, Balsamo summed up the day in four words. "Lotte was just stronger," she said. Finally, Kopecky had her Roubaix cobble.
Results
Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift 2024 (148.5km)
1. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime, in 3-47-13
2. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek
3. Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) dsm-firmenich PostNL,
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike
5. Amber Kraak (Ned) FDJ-Suez, all at same time
6. Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Lidl-Trek, +6s
7. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +28s
8. Victoire Berteau (Fra) Cofidis
9. Marie Le Net (Fra) FDJ-Suez
10. Kimberley (Le Court) Pienaar (MUS) AG Insurance-Soudal Team, all at same time
