Class tells. In a chaotic finale, it’s a true superstar who emerges: Lotte Kopecky. The two-time world champion wins on the Via Roma, taking a reduced sprint from a group of five that broke clear on the Poggio. Second place goes to Noemi Rüegg, improving on last year’s third, while third is Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini.
After the start in Genova, it took a long time for the break to form. Around 50 km in, nine riders finally got away: Eleonora La Bella, Katia Ragusa, Lara Crestanello, Constance Valentin, Heidi Franz, Eleonora Deotta, Sara Lucconi, Sofia Arici and Bodine Vollering.
But their fate was sealed. On the Cipressa, the race comes back together. The pace is high, the goal is to drop the big favourite Lorena Wiebes. First Femke de Vries attacks, then above all Katarzyna Niewiadoma, reducing the group to around twenty riders. Wiebes suffers, but holds on. Just before the summit, Lieke Nooijen gets a small gap. But the race explodes on the descent: in a blind corner, Niewiadoma crashes while leading the group, bringing down several riders including Kim Le Court Pienaar. Race over for them — but up front, it’s full gas.
Nooijen is caught at the base of the Poggio — and that’s the launchpad. A sharp, decisive attack from Puck Pieterse. Straight after her go Kopecky, Rüegg, Gasparrini and Dominika Włodarczyk. The latter immediately commits to working for Gasparrini, helping the five hold off the chase. Into Via Roma, it’s a sprint – and the most decorated rider of them all delivers. Kopecky wins. Another triumph in an extraordinary career.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
1 – Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx – Protime) – 156 km in 3h47’17”, average speed 41.182 km/h
2 – Noemi Ruegg (EF Education – Oatly) s.t.
3 – Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ) s.t.
4 – Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) s.t.
5 – Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) s.t
Speaking seconds after the finish, the winner of Sanremo Women presented by Crédit Agricole Lotte Kopecky said: “It’s really special to win. I had great support from my teammates from start to finish, and we took responsibility throughout the entire race. I was very happy to be in the front group on the Poggio—I knew that with a good advantage we could make it to Sanremo. In the bunch sprint, I was able to finish it off”.
