Lotte Hills won the silver medal this Saturday at the world cycling championships in Australia. The Belgian will only have been overtaken by an incredible Annemiek van Vleuten which surprised everyone one kilometer from the finish. A fine second place which still has a bitter taste as she explained to Jérôme Helguers’ microphone: “I am still very disappointed. It was a very big opportunity. I felt good but van Vleuten’s attack was well played“.
On arrival, we saw the Belgian banging on her handlebars in frustration. But after the finish, the anger had passed and it was another feeling that dominated: “It’s really a disappointment. I was focused on my sprint so I waited a bit. It was a nice attack from van Vleuten, a second of hesitation and she was gone“.
The disappointment is understandable since shining at the World Championships and coming so close to the rainbow jersey sometimes only happens once in a career: “Maybe it was the chance of my life. I’m really close. I think I should still be proud. It’s a bit of a double feeling“.
Saturday’s race was emotionally charged. Lively, open, we thought on several occasions that the scenario would put Kopecky aside, who found himself in the chase group several times but who was finally able to return to the front of the race at the best of times: “The group of five who were leading were close but I had the impression that the harmony was not really good in our group. But luckily we made it back. I wanted to try my luck in the sprint“.
If she had to change just one thing about her race, Kopecky knows exactly what she would do: “I try to follow Annemiek“.