"The messages I'm getting from her are positive" - National coach confident in Lotte Kopecky's appearance in Kigali

Lotte Kopecky rode a sub-par Tour de France which to an extent reflect her whole 2025 campaign up to this point. Regardless, the Belgian superstar is confident she can defend her rainbow jersey in Kigali - if she can prepare sufficiently. And the track World Championships could be up for grabs as well later this year.

"We don't have 100% certainty yet," Ludwig Willems, coach of the Belgian women's road team, told Het Nieuwsblad. "Ultimately, it's up to Lotte herself to make those decisions. But the messages I'm getting from her are positive."

The world champion won the Tour of Flanders and defended her national ITT title, but otherwise she would speak of a disappointing year. "The Tour wasn't easy for her, both physically and mentally, but she's now sorted everything out and seems to have flipped the switch. It's a matter of finding the right drive and fitness again. But I know Lotte: she'll succeed. There's still time. The World Championships are almost six weeks away."

Will the course suit Kopecky? Willems is confident about that: "It will be something between the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race," he said. "In short: it's truly tailor-made for Lotte. She knows that."

"When there was talk months ago that the World Championships might not take place in Rwanda after all, and there was already talk of a plan B in Martigny, Switzerland, I remember Lotte really hoping it wouldn't come to that. Martigny would be too tough for her, but in Rwanda she definitely has a good chance of another title."

Lotte has unfinished business with track too. After she walked away empty-handed at both World Championships and Olympic Games. Whether she also take on the track Worlds remains to be confirmed, and will depend on her performance – and points-scoring – in Prague this weekend.

"We haven't set any major goals," Belgian track coach Tim Carswell told Sporza. "The most important thing is that she regains her feeling on the track. Besides that, the riders also need to earn the necessary UCI points to participate in important races like the world championships."  

"It feels like she's never been away," he said. "She's looking very good in training so far. It's great to have her back in the group."