World champion and two-time Tour of Flanders winner Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) picked out defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) as her key rival on Sunday.
As well as name-checking the Italian, Kopecky was balanced about her own chances in De Ronde, motivated but honest about the different preparation she's had this year, with other goals further down the line.
In 2024, the Belgian was denied the chance to win Flanders for a record third time, and in the rainbow jersey, after a storming performance from Longo Borghini. The Italian proved her own form this week by winning Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday with a late solo move.
"She always was [a top favourite] for me," Kopecky told the Dutch press on Thursday.
“I had already seen some strong things from her in Gent-Wevelgem. She was already at the top for me anyway. I am not putting myself there. But I can always gamble on my sprint in the final, something that not all riders can do.”
Kopecky appeared to struggle in her final Flanders warm-up race, the Dwars door Vlaanderen, faltering in key moments and ending up on the back foot for much of the day, before finding a final wind to sprint to second.
On Wednesday, Kopecky didn't have many answers as to why she had struggled – "I’m not exactly sure what caused it. The legs just weren’t there" – but was quick to move on from any concerns ahead of Sunday.
"I shouldn't focus too much on that," she said. "Last year I had an off day in Flanders and won Roubaix the week after. Things can change quickly."
However, she did reflect on the different run-in to Flanders she's had this year, and how that may be affecting her form.
The Belgian only started her season two weeks ago, at Milan-San Remo, much later than she's debuted in previous years. She's also made Liège-Bastogne-Liège a target, meaning she may be looking to peak later in the season.
"I do feel that I have had a completely different winter and now I only have three days of competition in my legs," she said. "I think that is the biggest difference."
"I think that in the past I often felt really good when I had raced a lot in the spring, then took a bit of rest and then worked towards the next races."
In fact, the fact that Kopecky has been working on her climbing over the winter, but is still able to sprint with the very best, is a positive sign for her Classics campaign.
"Anyway, there's still three more weeks of the spring," she continued. "There are still a lot of races to come, so I am not worried."
Winning in the rainbow jersey is also certainly extra motivation for the Belgian rider, who has already won Flanders in the national champion's jersey.
"It would be very special if that would work," she said. "That would be a very nice photo in any case. That is in my mind, yes. Last year it didn't work, hopefully we can change that now."
The Wiebes question
Last year, SD Worx-Protime came to Flanders with practically four leaders or potential winners, in Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes, Marlen Reusser and Demi Vollering. With Vollering and Reusser now on different teams, their leadership pool is slightly smaller, but they still come to the race with options.
One of those is Wiebes, who has won Milan-San Remo, Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem in recent weeks. Though the Dutchwoman has played down her chances at going for Flanders victory, Kopecky still views her presence as a tactical advantage, and another option for the win.
"It's more up to the opposition than me to get rid of Wiebes," she said of the fact that no one will want to take the ultra-fast Wiebes to the line in Oudenaarde.
"That can definitely become a factor that all teams have to take into account. Conversely, it also makes it easier if I'm in front and Wiebes behind. Nobody wants to let Wiebes come back, so they have to keep riding with me. That's the strength of this team."
As well as Wiebes, Kopecky will look to the returning Anna van der Breggen – who won this race in 2018 – Mischa Bredewold and Blanka Vas as support on Sunday, though the team's line-up is not yet official.
"We have several cards to play. That is very nice for me," she said.
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