The rainbow jersey of world champion is perfectly suited to Lotte Kopecky, who consistently honors it regardless of the route or competition. At the Giro d'Italia Women 2024, Kopecky recently showcased her prowess with a second-place finish on the uphill finish in Toano and is expected to contend for the Maglia Rosa as the race heads towards Blockhaus.
She has demonstrated her versatility with strong performances, including a second-place sprint finish at Volta Mantovana, a fifth-place in the time trial, and a victorious sprint in Foligno, joining the ranks of previous sprint champions like André Greipel and Peter Sagan.
Although this year's Giro d'Italia Women lacks several top sprinters, including the recently retired Elisa Balsamo due to tonsillitis, Kopecky faced stiff competition from powerful riders like Chiara Consonni of UAE Team ADQ, who won in Volta Mantovana. Kopecky's win by three bike lengths in Foligno was aided by an exceptional leadout from her SD Worx-Protime team, particularly Barbara Guarischi. While Kopecky may not be the world's top sprinter, her ability to win across various terrains is undeniable.
Elisa Longo Borghini, after a strong opening time trial that gave her a 25-second lead over Kopecky, has seen her margin nearly vanish due to Kopecky's consistent time bonuses. Now, only three seconds separate the two in the general classification, with the decisive stages in Abruzzo yet to come.
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