Trofeo Alfredo Binda, one among ladies’s biking’s longest-standing races, was not on Lotte Kopecky’s calendar – till Friday, two days earlier than the occasion. Her teammate, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, was nonetheless recovering from a crash sustained at Nokere-Koerse.
However regardless of her late name up and modest ambitions from SD Worx-Protime’s sports activities director, Anna van der Breggen —“We’ve got completely no expectations of her, as a result of the change is last-minute” — Kopecky sprinted to second place on her debut, shedding out to Lidl-Trek’s Elisa Balsamo. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) completed third.
“I solely travelled to Italy final minute and it is not like I assumed: I’ll shortly flip this race to my liking. It isn’t that straightforward, although generally folks appear to suppose it’s. I did really feel like this race and needed to attempt to get probably the most out of it,” mentioned Kopecky.
“I additionally needed to actually push in the mean time I went. Elisa Balsamo was simply quicker. In fact, you at all times wish to win, however it’s not doable. I am pleased with this end result, although. This was the primary time I rode Trofeo Alfredo Binda. It is fully completely different than a Flemish basic, however I just like the race. There have been plenty of altimeters in it. It was the perfect time to complete this race in operate of what’s nonetheless to come back within the spring.”
“We knew Lotte might deal with Trofeo Alfredo Binda completely,” mentioned sports activities supervisor Danny Stam after right this moment’s race. “We made probably the most of it right this moment. We solely flew Lotte in on the final minute. She felt like using this race and did nicely. Lotte has began the spring season nicely. There is no such thing as a curse on her jersey.”
Of her 4 one-day races to date this season, Kopecky has completed first in Strade Bianche and Nokere-Koerse, and second in Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, showcasing spectacular type.
On the finish of the month, she’s going to look to safe a 3rd successive victory within the Tour of Flanders, with Paris-Roubaix the weekend after. Talking to press earlier this yr, she mentioned a win on the cobbles was a key goal for her Classics season, aiming to be at her greatest type in April. Her greatest, due to this fact, could also be but to come back.
Stam additionally praised Kopecky’s teammates, Niamh Fisher-Black and Marlen Reusser, who was getting back from Covid. “We made the selection to assault, hoping to skinny out the nonetheless massive group. Niamh Fisher-Black rode a superb race. On the climbs we tried to do away with Elisa Balsamo, however she did an awesome job”, he mentioned. “I’m glad with my group’s efficiency right this moment.”
Balsamo, who received Trofeo Alfredo Binda for the second time right this moment, commented on the tempo set by SD Worx on the ultimate climbs: “Surviving on the final climb wasn’t precisely straightforward, I knew it was probably the most crucial level… however when a sprinter smells victory, it’s like a regeneration.
“Trofeo Binda is a race I actually love. I used to be tremendous motivated, however I knew it will be powerful right this moment, with that further ultimate climb. It turned out to be a super-selective and hard race, I feel this provides added worth to the success. After which, once more, I’ve to thank my teammates a lot who stored the race beneath management and constructed my probability of victory.”
Balsamo notably praised final yr’s winner, Shirin van Anrooij, who closed down strikes from Fisher-Black and Marielle Meijering (Movistar) who attacked on the ultimate descent from Orino. Thanks partially to Van Anrooij, Meijering was caught a kilometre from the end.
“The plan was to have Shirin able to comply with climbers’ assaults, whereas my position was to be there in case of a bunch end. Shirin was commendable, she deserves a particular thanks. We’re a unbelievable group, at all times able to sacrifice for one another. That’s one thing that makes a distinction in biking.”
Balsamo’s win secured a fourth successive victory for Lidl-Trek, who have been eager to maintain their streak at Alfredo Binda unbroken.
Balsamo completed second on the Ronde van Drenthe and tenth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and is now eyeing up different Belgian classics, which is able to see her go head-to-head with Kopecky once more. Her subsequent race, on twenty first March, is Basic Brugge-De Panne, with Gent-Wevelgem, The Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix to comply with.
“Race after race I develop, I enhance,” mentioned Balsamo. “I’ve been working onerous because the winter to be on the high in all of the occasions I’ve on my precedence checklist for this season. Trofeo Binda was one among them, now the Belgian classics are there. I’m 100% certain that we, as group, will as soon as once more stand out.”
