Two years after her first victory at the race, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) returned to the top step at Strade Bianche on Saturday, this time in the world champion’s jersey.
The Belgian attacked with 10km to go in Tuscany, together with Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek), who she dispatched on the double-figure gradients of Siena’s Via Santa Caterina.
"I waited a little bit longer [to attack on the final climb]," Kopecky said afterwards, her jersey speckled with mud. "But yeah, I think it was the right moment.
"I'm more confident, but I didn't have my best day today," the 28-year-old continued. "I really suffered the whole day, but I didn't get any worse. The whole day I felt pretty tired, but it didn't get any worse during the race. I've had this before, and I just tried to not panic and trust that the legs will be there."
Last year’s winner, Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime), followed the duo in third, ahead of Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-Sram), who lit up the race on the final gravel sector.
How it happened
The women's peloton set out early from Siena on Saturday morning on a 137km route across Tuscany’s sterrato, dampened and muddied by the rain. A total of 40km of gravel awaited the riders, 8km more than last year, with a tougher sequence of climbs in the finale.
The first half of the race passed uneventfully. With 53km to go, an 11-rider group wriggled clear, notably counting Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek) and European champion Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime).
Behind, clearly concerned by the move, a large chasing group led by Kopecky and Vollering set off from the peloton in pursuit. They closed the gap with 32km remaining, leaving Amber Kraak (FDJ-Suez), Alena Amialiusik (UAE Team ADQ) and Riejanne Markus (Visma-Lease a Bike) out front. The trio were then caught with 21km to go.
Lidl-Trek took control onto the penultimate gravel section, Colle Pinzuto, grinding up its steep tracks and shedding riders from the group. A handful of leg-testing attacks came here, before Longo Borghini surged over the top, taking with her defending champion Vollering, Niewiadoma and Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike).
The move, however, came to nothing, and the front groups fused back together with 14km to go.
Fittingly, it was the gravel world champion Niewiadoma who laid waste on the final sector, Le Tolfe. The Polish rider ripped the front of the race to shreds, whittling it down to just five contenders: Vollering, Kopecky, Longo Borghini, Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) and herself.
Kopecky then looked to capitalise on tired legs, attacking with 10km to go. Only Longo Borghini, the Italian champion, could follow the Belgian, latching onto her wheel as if attached by wire.
The duo carried an 18-second advantage under the 5km to go banner. At that moment, Kopecky tossed her bottle to the side of the road, stretched her back and shook out her legs, poised for the finale.
The world champion stalked Longo Borghini into the foot of the final climb, Siena's narrow Via Santa Caterina. Then, with 500m to go, she thrashed out of her saddle to solo clear.
The Lidl-Trek rider fought back valiantly, but lost sight of Kopecky on the twisting entry to the Piazza del Campo, leaving her to celebrate alone over the line.
Results
STRADE BIANCHE WOMEN 2024: SIENA > SIENA (137km)
1. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime, in 3:55:43
2. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek, +4
3. Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +26
4. Kasia Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-Sram, s.t.
5. Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Lidl-Trek, +40
6. Kristen Faulkner (USA) EF Education-Cannondale, +41
7. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, +1:01
8. Elise Chabbey (Sui) Canyon-Sram, +1:54
9. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, s.t.
10. Évita Muzic (Fra) FDJ-Suez, s.t.
