Kopecky closes out classics campaign at Amstel Gold Race, turns focus to track

Lotte Kopecky will close out her Spring Classics campaign at Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition on Sunday and then turn her attention from the road to the velodrome at the upcoming UCI Track Nations Cup held in Milton, Canada, on April 20-23. 

The reigning World Champion in the Elimination Race and the Madison is on the hunt for points, which are important for her goals of competing on the track at the Olympic Games in Paris next summer.

"The aim is to pick up points there with a view to qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics. After that, the belt will come off for a week. After all, it has also been a tough spring. A week of rest will do me good. But first, some more banging...," Kopecky said.

Kopecky has had a remarkable spring season winning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Nokere Koerse and Tour of Flanders while also finishing second at Strade Bianche.

She may have been disappointed to miss out on the Flanders-Roubaix double after finishing seventh at the Hell of the North, but she will start into the Amstel Gold Race with impeccable form and a chance at another victory.

Kopecky has not competed in Amstel Gold Race before, but the longer and tougher route could play into her favour as one of the favourites, and she plans to use her wildcard status at SD Work alongside Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes.

"My spring went perfectly, but in the Amstel Gold Race, I'm going to squeeze everything out once more. This is my first participation, so I have little experience with it. Some hills, I don't know. We are coming to the start with a strong collective. So again, several scenarios are possible. Nevertheless, I'm starting with healthy ambitions," Kopecky said.

"I am still fresh enough to pop one last time in this spring. Everything can come out. So I will really go flat out in this Amstel. We will try to make the race hard again."

Kopecky competed at the European Championships in  February, next the Nations Cup in Canada, and will continue to combine road and track into her racing plans this season. The two disciplines are priorities for her at the inaugural combined UCI World Championships in Glasgow in August.

"Together with the Federation and with SD Worx, we have tried to find a balanced program for that. It will not cost too much energy, but we will be able to get enough points to try and reach our qualification goal," Kopecky said in an interview earlier this season.