Being the world’s finest female rider and a multiple World Championship winner, Lotte Kopecky is accustomed to this, though. She seems unfazed because she is familiar with the situation. This time, the Belgian kept her powder dry, made the correct maneuvers, and then launched her winning sprint at the perfect moment to defend the bands—a continuation of her potent attack that won her the crown in Glasgow the previous year. Surprisingly enough, it isn’t all that uncommon for one rider to defend the World Championship road race title in elite women’s cycling. In the history of the event, it has occurred nine times, including Jeannie Longo’s three successful championship defenses in the 1990s. This is not the same.
