UCI Cycling World Championships 2023: Lotte Kopecky ends 50-year Belgian drought in women's elite road race - results
Kopecky clinched her third gold in a week in Glasgow, launching a late attack to win from Dutchwoman Demi Vollering and Denmark's Cecilie Ludwig.
Cycling Road
After two golds on the track, Belgian ace Lotte Kopecky brought the curtain down on the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland with road race victory on Sunday (13 August).
The 27-year-old finally showed her hand on the final lap of the 154.1km course which ended with six laps of a 14.3km circuit in Glasgow.
After a number of attacks from rivals, the pre-race favourite was in a lead group of six before launching her decisive attack less than 7km from home.
Kopecky crossed the line in just over four hours and ended her country's 50-year wait for a women's road race world champion with Nicole Van Den Broeck Belgium's last winner in 1973.
She had previously won the elimination race and points race in the Chris Hoy Velodrome at these championships.
Afterwards an emotional Kopecky said, "It has already been an amazing year and also a very hard year. It really means a lot to me, it is a dream come true.
"I thought after the two medals on the track it was almost impossible to win again on Sunday. Becoming a three-time world champion in just seven days is just crazy."
Tour de France Femmes winner Demi Vollering outsprinted Denmark’s Cecilie Ludwig to take silver for the Netherlands with the pair seven seconds behind Kopecky.
Defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten finished in eighth place as she failed to end her illustrious career on a high.
The 40-year-old Dutch legend, who won time trial gold at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, fought her way back into contention after a puncture with 65km to go. But an enforced bike change just before the final lap ended her hopes of a successful title defence.
Van Vleuten bows out having won two time trial world crowns (2017 and 2018) and two world road race golds (2019 and 2022).
Results - UCI Road World Championships 2023 - Women's Elite Road Race
- Lotte Kopecky (BEL) 4:02:12
- Demi Vollering (NED) +0:07
- Cecilie Ludwig (DEN) +0:07
- Marlen Reusser (SUI) +0:12
- Christina Schweinberger (AUT) +0:34
- Elizabeth Deignan (GBR) +0:34
- Elise Chabbey (SUI) +1:24
- Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) +2:48
- Riejanne Markus (NED) +3:51
- Margarita Victo Garcia Canellas (ESP) +4:05