Lotte Kopecky has been named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year in a ceremony held at the SkyHall of Brussels Airport in Zaventem.
This accolade, awarded to her by Sportpress.be, the Belgian association of sports journalists, comes as no surprise. Kopecky, the first cyclist to win the esteemed trophy, had previously been recognised as the Hope of the Year in 2017.
"Winning this award as the first female cyclist is not of great importance; what fills me with pride is winning as a cyclist and hoping to motivate young, upcoming talents. If it inspires some youngsters, all the better," she stated.
Adding to her 2023 achievements, Kopecky also collected the Eddy Merckx trophy for the best international classics cyclist at the Golden Bicycle ceremony, the Crystal Bicycle award and the title of best Flemish rider of the year, along with Jasper Philipsen.
The world road champion acknowledged that 2023 was an exceptional year for her, and anticipates a busy and significant 2024, notably due to the Olympic Games. "I hope to maintain this level for a long time, but every season is different. Being in good shape is no guarantee of success – staying at the top is the most challenging part. We will see."
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Kopecky hopes to hit peak form in "early April", she revealed, prior to preparing for the Olympics, where she will certainly be striving for her first medal. Whether or not she will take part in the Tour de France after the Games remains uncertain, with the decision to be made at a later date.
"As of Monday, I will focus on the beginning of the season and head to Spain for a training camp," the cyclist concluded.
