Outgoing world champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) returns to racing at this week's Tour Féminin de l'Ardèche, pinning on a number on the road for the first time since a challenging Tour de France Femmes.
The Tour de l'Ardèche was set to be a pre-World Championships tune-up for the Belgian, but she has since decided not to go to Rwanda to defend her rainbow jersey, but will still be in action in France, with the first stage on Tuesday.
With no racing on the road all summer – she did race on the track at the end of August – Kopecky is looking to rediscover her race rhythm this week, with her programme for the rest of the season set to be shaped by her sensations in the Ardèche.
"I had planned to participate in the Tour de l'Ardèche for a while," she told DirectVelo at the team presentation on Monday.
"Initially, the plan was to build up my strength there for the World Championship, but in the end, I won't be competing in the World Championships. I decided it made more sense to skip it, but I still wanted to come here to get back into the rhythm of racing."
With no road racing in her legs since the Tour, where a back injury limited how well she could perform – at one point, the goal had been to try for the GC – Kopecky's road form is fairly unknown starting the six-day race. How she performs here will determine what the rest of her season looks like.
"We will see how it goes," she said. "The rest of the program will also depend on the feelings I have during the week and nothing has been decided at the moment."
The options ahead for Kopecky include the TT or road race at the European Championships – which take place in the same region, though she said she hasn't yet reconned that course – the Italian Classics, or a possible return to the Track World Championships, which take place in Chile in October.
First, however, she needs to see how she responds at the Tour de l'Ardèche. She will be part of an SD Worx-Protime team that also includes Mischa Bredewold and Marta Lach, with other names on the start list including Évita Muzic (FDJ-Suez), Marion Bunel (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Marta Cavalli (Picnic PostNL).
The mountainous race is often won by a climber, with Thalita de Jong (Human Powered Health) the last champion, though there will be opportunities for a strong rider like Kopecky, too.
"It's a tough stage race. It's a good choice despite everything. We'll try to have fun," she said. "We’ll see from day to day. I hope to find my legs again, that’s the priority. On top of that, of course winning a stage would be good."
The Tour de l'Ardèche starts on Tuesday with a 127.5km stage set on laps around Laudun-l’Ardoise, finishing up a sharp final ramp.
