The 2024 Tour de France Femmes is set to kick off in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Monday, August 12, with a lineup missing one of its brightest stars. Lotte Kopecky, known for her explosive sprints and tactical brilliance, will be absent this year, choosing instead to chase Olympic glory in Paris. So far, the Belgian has won bronze in the Olympic Road Race and is now ready for more medal opportunities at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome in Paris.
The Belgian’s decision to skip the biggest stage race in the Women’s WorldTour calendar not only shakes up the dynamic within her team, SD Worx-Protime, but also has the potential to shift the landscape of the race. As the reigning champion, teammate Demi Vollering, gears up to defend her title, the doors swing open for rivals and underdogs to seize the spotlight in a Tour that is still building its identity. And with just eight stages, Kopecky’s absence also removes a solid competitor for stage hunting in the grueling courses that make up the first half of the race, opening opportunities for other riders and teams to claim victories.
Kopecky’s prowess in the peloton is unmatched. Her powerful sprints, bike handling skills on any surface type, and her ability to remain competitive in the mountains have made her a favorite in both one-day classics and multi-day races. At 28, she boasts multiple Belgian National Road Race Championships and has claimed victories in iconic races such as the Tour of Flanders (2022-2023), Strade Bianche (2022, 2024), and Paris-Roubaix (2024). More recently, she won second overall at the Giro d’Italia Women, putting pressure on another rider expected to go for the GC at the Tour, Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek).
