Lotte Kopecky and Tim Wellens win Belgian Time Trial Championships
Lotte Kopecky and Tim Wellens won the Belgian national time trial championships on Thursday. It is Kopecky's sixth consecutive title, and Wellens' first.
Wellens finished ahead of Alec Segaert and Rune Herregodts. His competition was not as fierce as it could have been, with Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert, Yves Lampaert and Victor Campenaerts all opting to skip this year's event. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old is proud of his victory.
"I had just come back from altitude training and didn't get much sleep, but I was determined to win this BC," he said. "I won't say it was easy, but the absence of specialists like Remco Evenepoel and Wout Van Aert made it a bit easier to win today."
Six in a row
For Kopecky, meanwhile, it was a sixth consecutive title. The world road champion dominated the race, finishing 43 seconds ahead of Marthe Goossens and Marion Norbert Riberolle.
"It's starting to add up, but it's still fun to be Belgian champion," Kopecky said. "I think I managed the race well. I also tried a new position on the time trial bike and it worked well."
As Kopecky is the only Belgian rider in the SD Worx squad, she will have to start the Belgian Road Championships on Sunday without any team mates. "A championship like this is hard to control when you are alone. I hope to play a role in the race, but it won't be easy to win," she said.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS
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