Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) won Paris-Roubaix Femmes from a six-rider sprint on Saturday. Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) nabbed second, while Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) rounded out the podium for third.
Kopecky’s victory was sweet, coming a week after a disappointing Tour of Flanders where the team failed to put a rider on the podium. “To do this is very nice. This was the goal of the season. They [the team] really believed I could win and they did a great job in the race.”
Balsamo was disappointed after the finish, but later recognized she did the best she could against the stronger Kopecky. “I think I did a good sprint. After such a tough race, Lotte was simply stronger. I’m at peace with it.”
Georgi was elated with her performance against such stiff competition. “Some of these women were my heroes growing up. To be at the front with them in Paris-Roubaix, and even to be on the podium with them, is incredible for me.”
Windy conditions characterized the 148.5km race from Denain to the Roubaix Velodrome. For the most part, the peloton stayed together until the first of 17 cobbled sectors which came after 66km of racing. Team Visma | Lease a Bike forced the pace into the first cobbled secteur and a pattern was established that slowly thinned out the peloton with each passing cobbled secteur. With about 50km to go, the peloton was eventually thinned down to about 20-25 riders with smaller groups scattered behind on the course.
Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) was the standout rider of the day, keeping the pace high for teammate Elisa Balsamo throughout the race. The decisive moment came at about 25km to go when Marianne Vos (Visma | Leas a Bike) and Kopecky moved to the front and Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) attacked. From this attack the winning break of six formed: Kopecky, Vos, Balsamo, Van Dijk, Kraak, and Georgi.
As the kilometers ticked down, there were a few attacks, but the main contenders Kopecky, Vos, Balsamo kept these in check and opted to wait for the sprint. The six entered the Roubaix velodrome together, with Vos and Balsamo leading it out side-by-side. In the final turn, Kopecky came from the back of the group and went over the top to win by a bike length and a half.
Results
- Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) 03:47:1302
- Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) + 0003″
- Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL) + 0004″
- Marianne Vos(Visma-Lease a Bike) + 0005″
- Amber Kraak (FDJ-SUEZ) + 0006″
- Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) + 0607″
- Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) + 2808″
- Victoire Berteau (Cofidis Women Team) + 2809″
- Marie le Net FDJ-SUEZ + 2810
- Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) + 28″
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/paris-roubaix-we/2024/result
