To this point this season Lotte Kopecky has taken on three at some point races, with two wins and a runner up spot to indicate for it so despite the fact that she could also be a late alternative with ‘no expectations’ as she makes her Trofeo Alfredo Binda – Comune di Cittiglio debut, that is hardly more likely to make her rivals view the world champion as any much less of a menace on Sunday.
It’s a race her SD Worx-Protime squad hasn’t gained since 2016, when Lizzie Deignan took victory for a second 12 months working whereas sporting the colors of Boels Dolmans, a former incarnation of the workforce, however now Deignan will probably be lining up as simply one of many many playing cards for Lidl-Trek, which has gained the final three editions of the race. Probably the most profitable rider for SD Worx-Protime in recent times has been Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, who got here second in 2018 after which fourth in 2022, however she has needed to bow out late after a crash at Nokere-Koerse.
The workforce, nonetheless, is clearly not able to fold its hand at Trofeo Alfredo Binda however as an alternative added certainly one of its strongest trump playing cards to bolster it.
“So now we’ve got the world champion in the beginning,” stated sport director Anna van der Breggen in an announcement. “Lotte can trip right here with out strain. Now we have completely no expectations of her, as a result of the change is last-minute. She is all the time an added worth to have on the workforce. This can be a robust race by way of altimeters. Lotte is an enormous assist anyway.”
Kopecky will probably be racing alongside the likes of Elena Cecchini – who has a powerful document on the occasion and may properly be a contender for the workforce – Niamh Fisher-Black, Femke Gerritse, Barbara Guarischi and in addition Marlen Reusser. Van der Breggen pointed to Reusser as a rider that the race may go well with completely, however sickness has delivered some doubt about her type.
“I actually like this race,” stated Reusser. “At first I had actually excessive expectations, however I did endure from that COVID an infection. I could not practice and misplaced time due to it. Consequently, my type just isn’t tremendous, however I really feel fairly good once more.”
Both means, SD Worx-Protime is clearly getting into the 140.5km Girls’s WorldTour occasion with loads of choices, which could possibly be essential given the unpredictable nature of the race, which Van der Breggen stated the workforce is heading towards with an open thoughts.
“Trofeo Alfredo Binda is all the time an incredible race to observe, exactly due to the unpredictability,” stated Van der Breggen. “Right here a breakaway can carry to the tip. Typically that ends in there being too many assault makes an attempt, so no person will get away and it finally ends up being a bunch dash in spite of everything. A dash with an elite group can also be potential and up to now we’ve got seen lengthy solos right here. In brief: fascinating,”
