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Tour de France Femmes overall leader Kopecky has had to re-adjust her focus for the upcoming UCI World Cycling Championships while her Madison partner Shari Bossuyt (Canyon-Sram) awaits a contentious doping verdict.
Kopecky and Bossuyt are the reigning world champions in the Madison. The duo look to be unable to defend their title after Bossuyt returned positive A and B samples for Letrozole after a test on March 19 at the Tour de Normandie Feminin.
Letrozole is a drug that reduces the amount of oestrogen in someone's body. It is prohibited in cycling as it can have a similar performance-enhancing effect as taking testosterone.
The in-form Kopecky has two world titles in the Madison, including her first title in 2017 with Jolien D'hoore, so missing the opportunity to race again for the rainbow jersey is understandably disappointing. Kopecky will focus instead on the Elimination Race, the Points Race and the Omnium on the track before racing the Elite Women's Road Race.
Bossuyt's contract with Canyon-SRAM was extended in April, but she was put on a 'provisionally non-active' status while awaiting a final verdict from the French anti-doping agency, the Agence française de lutte contre le dopage.
"It's pretty hard, yes, but at this moment, I hope for Shari that she can prove that she is innocent; that is the most important thing," Kopecky said.
"For these Worlds, we [the Belgium team] are sending two young riders, Hélène Hesters and Katrijn De Clercq; we will see how they do it. For the Olympics, nothing is really for sure, you have to qualify, of course, but nothing is for sure about what we will do; it will be clear in the next months," Kopecky said.
"At this moment, my ambitions are only in the Omnium, but we will see in the next months how these young girls develop and how the case with Shari develops; it's not something I can answer at this moment," Kopecky said.
"At this moment, I haven't been training for the Madison. In the next months, if we go to the Olympics, of course, we will pick it up again." Kopecky is also the reigning world champion in the Elimination Race.
The inaugural combined cycling World Championships run from August 3-13 in Glasgow, Scotland. With the date so close to the Tour de France Femmes, the scheduling provides a unique mix of challenges and opportunities for riders who excel in multiple disciplines like Kopecky.
"If you have this Tour de France, which is positioned within the next two weeks before Worlds, you will not do this super big training anymore," Kopecky said.
"With the track being very short efforts, racing the Tour de France is very good planning for the road race on Sunday, August 13. I think it's very manageable all together."
The 27-year-old is certainly managing well so far having won the opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes, and retaining the yellow leader's jersey after a crash-filled second stage in wet, slippery conditions.
Kopecky came second in the road race at the 2022 world championships after Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) shocked the field with a surprise attack in the final kilometre to claim the coveted rainbow jersey.
"It will be a completely different course in Glasgow," Kopecky said.
"It's a course that really suits me, but it also suits a lot of other riders. I go there with the ambition of becoming the world champion, but I also know it will be a hard task," Kopecky said.
"The chances that it doesn't work out are bigger than if it will work out. We are going there with six other riders, who will get 200% support, so I hope the race scenario is to our advantage and we can make an unforgettable day of it."
In the meantime, it's full focus on the Tour de France Femmes and finding a balance between using the event as training and taking the opportunities for stage wins where she can.
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Stage 2 - Daily Highlights - Tour de France Femmes 2023
"I will race the whole Tour," said Kopecky, who has permission from her team to win stages where she can while supporting teammates Demi Vollering for the overall title and Lorena Wiebes in the sprints.
"I'll see where this race brings me. If I feel that it's been enough, I will go easy in the time trial and try to make it a good recovery day," Kopecky said, sharing her ambitions for the Tour's final stage.
"If I still feel fresh, I will go all out in the time trial."
