Updated September 3, 2025 07:50AM
Kopecky Won't Defend Title at Road Worlds After Season of Setbacks: 'It’s Largely a Mental Issue'
Evenepoel joined by Uijtdebroeks, Benoot in men's race, Kopecky opts out of Kigali championship due to concerns over fitness.
(Photo: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images )
Lotte Kopecky won’t defend her title this month at the Kigali road world championships.
The two-time rainbow jersey opted out of racing with Team Belgium after a season plagued by injuries and setbacks.
“She made the decision herself not to participate,” national coach Ludwig Willems told Wielerflits. “She wasn’t convinced she would be 100 percent ready. It’s largely a mental issue.”
Team Belgium revealed Tuesday it will instead be led by top climber Justine Ghekiere in the women’s road race on September 28.
Similar Reads
As expected, 2022 road race champion Remco Evenepoel will captain the men on September 29.
Victor Campenaerts, Ties Benoot, and the resurgent Cian Uijtdebroeks will give Evenepoel strong support for a road race showdown with uber-favorite Tadej Pogačar.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kopecky needs to recharge after troubled 2025
Many big names in men’s racing have decided to skip the flight to Rwanda at the end of this month.
Kopecky is the second marquee rider to pull the plug on the women’s side. Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse has chosen to focus her energies on the MTB title.
ADVERTISEMENT
National coach Willems told Belgian media that Kopecky needs some space after she this year crash-landed out of her dominant 2024 season.
“We need to give Lotte plenty of time to recharge, unwind, and sort things out,” Willems told Wielerflits. “Then I’m convinced we’ll see an improved version of Lotte in the foreseeable future.”
Kopecky suffered something of a rainbow curse in her second consecutive champion’s season.
She was held back by a knee injury in the winter, and then picked up back troubles after the spring classics.
While the 29-year-old won the Tour of Flanders for a third time, she abandoned the Giro d’Italia Women and suffered serious disappointment at the Tour de France Femmes.
“Doubts had already arisen in the Giro, and they grew even greater in the Tour,” Willems explained Tuesday.
“We didn’t try to convince her otherwise,” he continued. “We don’t want to put pressure on her to participate. I have too much respect for what she has achieved for that.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Rwanda will welcome a new women’s world champion
There had already been questions over Kopecky’s participation at road worlds.
The mountainous course plays directly against “The Queen of Flanders” skillset and favors Tour de France champions Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Demi Vollering, both who have confirmed they’ll be flying to Rwanda.
ADVERTISEMENT
Nonetheless, nobody would have counted out a rider as race-savvy as Kopecky.
Belgian staffer Willems confirmed the 29-year-old will race on the road at the Tour de l’Ardeche with SD Worx Protime next week and possibly target the European national time trial championships in October.
After that, Kopecky will go looking for her groove on the track.
Belgian selection, 2025 road worlds:
Women Elite Road Race:
Justine Ghekiere
Marthe Goossens
Marieke Meert
Julie van de Velde
Margot Vanpachtenbeke
Men Elite Road Race:
Tiesj Benoot
Victor Campenaerts
Remco Evenepoel
Quinten Hermans
Xandro Meurisse
Cian Uijtdebroeks
Ilan van Wilder
Florian Vermeersch
