'I'd like it to be next Sunday already' - Kopecky struggles after tough Tour start

The world champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) has admitted to struggling mentally so far at the Tour de France Femmes after another difficult day in the saddle on stage 2, revealing she wants the race “to be over as quickly as possible.”

“The feeling isn’t great and that’s frustrating,” Kopecky told Sporza. “I didn’t sleep much last night.”

In the opening two hilly stages in Brittany, the world champion hasn’t featured in the finale, on two profiles that many would have marked Kopecky down for before the race started as one of the favourites to win. It’s been clear that Kopecky hasn’t been firing on all cylinders in what has been an explosive start to the race. 

"I'm not someone who makes excuses, it's just not going well,” Kopecky said. "I've had a very long preparation, been away from home for a long time. I wanted to start strong here, but it all went wrong.” 

The mental toll of underperforming in the Tour while wearing the rainbow jersey appeared to be weighing heavily on the shoulders of the visibly downbeat Kopecky.

"The fun factor is very important to me, and it's a bit lacking at the moment. I've had some really good seasons over the past two or three years. To then be riding around like this this season in this jersey is mentally difficult."

However, despite not being able to fight for the stage win on Sunday, Kopecky was able to give what should could to support her SD Worx-Protime teammates.

"I struggled again on the climb today, but they said in my earpiece: 'Lotte, we'll need you later,” said Kopecky.  "I tried to get back and make one last effort. Unfortunately, we came up a bit short. But I'm glad I was still able to do something, even if it was only a few hundred meters."

In the end, Lorena Wiebes was the best-placed finisher for the SD Worx-Protime team on the second stage, finishing 2nd, winning the group sprint behind surprise stage winner Mavi García (Liv AlUla Jayco). From a general classification perspective for SD-Worx Protime, Anna van der Breggen sits 7th, 15 seconds behind the new race leader Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal).

With her personal ambitions now set aside, an honest Kopecky admitted to looking forward to the race’s conclusion next Sunday but hopes to contribute to team success before then, and the team will hope that will come in the form of a successful GC result for Van der Breggen and stage wins for Lorena Wiebes.

"Ideally, I'd like it to be next Sunday as soon as possible. Hopefully, we'll have been able to make something good of this Tour with the team by then. But I'll have to put my personal ambitions aside."

Stage 3 presents an opportunity for SD-Worx Protime to kickstart their race with a flat finish into Angers, where the European Champion Wiebes will be the favourite for victory.