Lotte Kopecky: Tour de France Femmes stage 5 was “missed opportunity” for SD Worx

RODEZ FRANCE JULY 26 Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Team SD Worx Protime Yellow Leader Jersey celebrates at podium during the 2nd Tour de France Femmes 2023 Stage 4 a 1771km stage from Cahors to Rodez 572m UCIWWT on July 26 2023 in Rodez France Photo by Alex BroadwayGetty Images
Lotte Kopecky in the Tour de France Femmes yellow jersey (Image credit: Alex Broadway/Getty Images)

Team SD Worx were once again in the headlines after stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, for good and bad reasons. 

Team leader Demi Vollering was handed a 20-second time penalty for drafting behind her team car through part of the race convoy after a puncture. The team lost sprinter Lorena Wiebes due to illness before the stage and then Marlen Reusser’s chase behind Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon-SRAM) ‘only’ resulted in a second place.

Lukas Knöfler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles. Having worked as press officer for teams and races and written for several online and print publications, he has been Cyclingnews’ Women’s WorldTour correspondent since 2018.