Lotte Kopecky opens up on the struggle behind a difficult Tour

Earlier this week, Lotte Kopecky admitted she was struggling and even said she couldn’t wait for the Tour to be over,  a reflection of her frustration with the lack of top form.

Speaking to Sporza, Kopecky was remarkably candid about the state she’s in, physically and mentally. “The feeling hasn’t really changed since the start of the Tour,” she said after the stage to Chambéry. “My form isn’t great, but at least the fatigue isn’t setting in like it is for others. I try to focus on small positives like that.”

Her struggles, she explained, go back to the winter. A crash at the end of last season left her with persistent knee pain, turning her preparation into a stop-start cycle. “Every time I thought I could finally begin my build-up, I’d have to stop again. It happened three times.”

But more than the physical setbacks, it’s been the mental strain that’s caught up with her. “The past few years have cost a lot of energy. Everything was going so well, and I just kept taking things on - road, track, whatever came my way. Now I’m feeling the backlash.”

She also talked about the pressure she put on herself to reach peak condition for the Tour, including working with a dietitian for the first time. “That was a big mental burden for me,” she admitted. “I’m someone who usually rides on instinct, but suddenly it was all about numbers and expected gains. But those gains never came. It felt like all the work I put in led nowhere.”

Looking back, Kopecky admits the process taught her more about what doesn’t work. “I was never a big fan of dieting anyway - though that’s a personal thing. For me, it was a huge challenge. I now know it doesn’t work for me. That’s been a good lesson. There are a lot of things I’ve learned from this whole build-up - about what I can and can’t do.”

Although she still isn’t feeling great, Kopecky seems a little lighter again. “I can’t spend the whole week walking around depressed,” she said with a smile. “That doesn’t help the team either.”

Meanwhile, her team continues to back her. CEO Erwin Janssen said this week: “Every champion has a down period - even Pogačar. Lotte has worked incredibly hard. After the Tour, we’ll sit down with her and her management and review everything. Not emotionally - just clearly, to learn.” He emphasised that Kopecky remains a cornerstone of SD Worx’s ambitions, but also acknowledged the team’s intent to strengthen its roster with a renewed focus on the general classification in Grand Tours.

As for Kopecky, her message was clear: after the Tour, the bike will briefly go into the corner. “That’s what I need now, mentally. Then I’ll listen to my legs - and my head.”

Still, she’s already looking ahead to one final goal this season. “It’s a World Championship course that should suit me,” she said. “But I’ll need to be at 110%. At 90%, I have no business being there.”

With the lessons of this season behind her, it seems only a matter of time before Lotte Kopecky rises from this battle with herself and returns to the biggest fights in the peloton.