{"id":241868,"date":"2026-05-05T10:14:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T10:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/05\/if-i-start-a-sprint-tomorrow-i-would-do-exactly-the-same-lotte-kopecky-wont-change-sprint-style-following-relegation-and-fine-in-la-vuelta-femenina-stage-2-sprint\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T10:14:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T10:14:49","slug":"if-i-start-a-sprint-tomorrow-i-would-do-exactly-the-same-lotte-kopecky-wont-change-sprint-style-following-relegation-and-fine-in-la-vuelta-femenina-stage-2-sprint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/05\/if-i-start-a-sprint-tomorrow-i-would-do-exactly-the-same-lotte-kopecky-wont-change-sprint-style-following-relegation-and-fine-in-la-vuelta-femenina-stage-2-sprint\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;If I start a sprint tomorrow. I would do exactly the same&#8217; \u2013 Lotte Kopecky won&#8217;t change sprint style following relegation and fine in La Vuelta Femenina stage 2 sprint"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-53d81ed9-5d33-4a21-a829-9d9c5536ca7a\">Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) came away empty-handed for the second straight day in <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/la-vuelta-femenina\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/la-vuelta-femenina\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/la-vuelta-femenina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">La Vuelta Femenina<\/a>. After finishing a close second on Sunday, Kopecky was relegated to last place in her group of 36 in the sprint on <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/vuelta-femenina-shari-bossuyt-wins-a-dramatic-stage-2-sprint-as-franziska-koch-takes-second-place-and-the-overall-lead\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/vuelta-femenina-shari-bossuyt-wins-a-dramatic-stage-2-sprint-as-franziska-koch-takes-second-place-and-the-overall-lead\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/vuelta-femenina-shari-bossuyt-wins-a-dramatic-stage-2-sprint-as-franziska-koch-takes-second-place-and-the-overall-lead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stage 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Coming onto the finishing straight in the slipstream of her teammate Anna van der Breggen, Kopecky looked like a very good bet for the victory on stage 2 to San Cibrao das Vi\u00f1as.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-53d81ed9-5d33-4a21-a829-9d9c5536ca7a-2\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">But as she launched her sprint, Kopecky veered left, bumping into eventual stage winner Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal). She then veered right, into the path of eventual stage runner-up Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) and stopped pedalling, crossing the line in 15th place.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Kopecky was fined 500CHF for violating rule 2.12.007-5.1, &#8220;Deviation from the chosen line that obstructs or endangers another rider or irregular sprint&#8221;, according to the race communique. She also received a yellow card and was docked 18 points toward the green jersey classification.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">She said after the stage that her contact with Bossuyt caused her to make an error in shifting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;I wanted to shift gears. With the SRAM system, if you press both buttons at the same time, you shift to the small chainring,&#8221; a frustrated Kopecky explained to Belgian broadcaster <em>Sporza<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;At the moment I wanted to shift up, I came into contact with Shari, that caused me to shift to the inner [smaller] chainring and drop the chain.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-TF4mXzUQ9fmfLwQWA5SK4c\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-TF4mXzUQ9fmfLwQWA5SK4c slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Taking to Instagram later in the day, Kopecky said that she wouldn&#8217;t change anything about how she races the final in any upcoming sprint finishes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If I start a sprint tomorrow. I would do exactly the same,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;I got a great leadout from Anna VDB, start my sprint so I take my line, not Anna\u2019s. So YES, I have to go off my original line. At that moment no one was next to me yet. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;After watching the video I really want to say Shari Bossuyt did not do anything wrong. So absolutely congrats to her! <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I don\u2019t agree with the decision of the jury. But that\u2019s another discussion all together.<br \/>No further comment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Until the last 200 metres, everything had gone to plan for Kopecky.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;My team did great work today and dropped me off for the final. That last climb was hard, but I got over it, then I came to Anna, and she did a perfect lead-out. I launched at the perfect moment,&#8221; she told <em>Sporza<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Kopecky faces an uphill battle for the points classification, dropping from second to 14th, 38 points behind Bossuyt. She should have another opportunity for a sprint in Tuesday&#8217;s stage 3 to A Coru\u00f1a.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our La Vuelta Femenina coverage as the likes of Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and others battle it out. Don&#8217;t miss any of the breaking news, reports, and analysis from one of the biggest women&#8217;s stage races of the season. <\/strong><\/em><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=VF26\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=VF26\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=VF26\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><em><strong>Find out more.<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/a><em\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/lotte-kopecky-relegated-fined-and-given-yellow-card-in-botched-la-vuelta-femenina-sprint\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) came away empty-handed for the second straight day in La Vuelta Femenina. After finishing a close second on Sunday, Kopecky was relegated to last place in her group of 36 in the sprint on stage 2. Coming onto the finishing straight in the slipstream of her teammate Anna van der Breggen, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":241869,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6804],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-241868","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241868"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241868\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/241869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}