SD Worx-Protime workforce chief and world champion Lotte Kopecky couldn’t have been clearer coming into the Giro d’Italia Ladies that stage wins, not the overall classification had been the goal for the world champion however now, after stage 5, she is sitting simply three seconds again from the coveted maglia rosa.
Kopecky has Italian favorite Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) simply forward of her and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) hovering 35 seconds behind, whereas final 12 months’s runner-up Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich-Publish NL) is 46 seconds in again from the Belgian.
All these rivals have over time been maybe extra famous for his or her climbing than Kopecky, as her energy lies within the quick finishes and lumpy programs, nevertheless after coming sixth on the Tourmalet end of the Tour de France Femmes final 12 months and profitable atop Jebel Hafeet on the UAE Tour Ladies in the beginning of this season, she’s a rider that is arduous to rule out regardless of the brutal ascents forward.
“I’m right here to organize for the Olympics. This stage win is a lift. I’m now three seconds off chief Elisa Longo-Borghini, which is a pleasant place,” stated Kopecky, who can also be sporting the purple sprinters’ jersey in a quote shared on social media by SD Worx-Protime.
“I’m practical that the subsequent three days will likely be very powerful. I don’t really feel any strain in direction of the overall classification. I’m making an attempt to recuperate in addition to I can.”
The rider from SD Worx-Protime who did go into the race with a watch to the powerful mountain levels is Niamh Fisher-Black, who’s now sitting seventh general although simply 1:07 again from general chief Longo Borghini.
The levels forward may contribute important losses and positive aspects from the lumpy stage to Chieti on Friday, the queen stage ending atop Blockhaus on stage 7 and even on the ultimate day of racing within the Apennines, the terrain nonetheless gives an opportunity to change the GC.
“Tomorrow will already be a tough day, and Saturday for certain with the Blockhaus climb. I’ve by no means ridden it earlier than, however when you have a look at the profile, you may see it’s a difficult climb.”
Stage 7 on Saturday delivers 3,600m of vertical elevation acquire, venturing onto the Blockhaus slopes twice, the primary time as much as the Lanciano Move, which is 12.4km at 8.3% with a most gradient of 13% and the second ending climb provides one other 5.3 kilometres at 7% for a complete climb of 17.7 km
“I’ll see how far I get. I’ve nothing to lose,” Kopecky concluded.
