Lotte Kopecky has 'perfect day' as she sprints to Worlds glory again

There are a lot of demands on the new world champion. Endless media duties, television from all over the world, the podium, another press conference, signing rainbow jerseys, getting stopped for autographs and selfies, and even someone accosting you to join a video call on their phone. It doesn't end.

Lotte Kopecky is used to this though, as the best female rider in the world, and as someone who has already won the World Championships. It doesn't seem to faze her, she knows the drill. After her powerful attack to win the title in Glasgow last year, this time around the Belgian kept her powder dry, followed the right moves, and then launched her victorious sprint at the right time to defend the bands.

Perhaps surprisingly, it isn't that rare in elite women's cycling for the World Championships road race title to be defended by one rider. It has happened nine times in the race's history, including the three separate defences of her crown that Jeannie Longo made in the 1990s. This is a different era from then, though, even a different era from when Marianne Vos did the same in 2013, with a much deeper pool of potential winners, and a much more competitive race. It doesn't matter to Kopecky, who seems to thrive under the pressure.

"For me it was the perfect day again, so I can’t really say much more," she said post-race.

There was a moment where it looked like the 28-year-old might be dropped on a tough course, as two of her rivals in the leading group - Demi Vollering (Netherlands) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) - are ostensibly better climbers, and tried to take it to her on the ramps, while Liane Lippert (Germany) followed.

"Not really actually," Kopecky responded, however, when asked if she thought the race might slip away from her. "I had really hard moments on the climb where Elisa attacked, but I tried not to explode, because I knew it was quite far to the finish. I tried to come back at my own pace."

That she did, and once she was in the winning move, it seemed like there would only be one victor in a sprint. There was one moment of doubt when Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Australia) and Chloé Dygert (USA) returned, but the danger was quickly snuffed out.

"I was looking back but because of the weather I could only see the light of the motos, I could not see where they were or who was coming back," Kopecky said. "They attacked immediately, which you expect, but I don’t think it changed anything and maybe it was good that the speed was high."

She was helped by Justine Ghekiere, with the Tour de France Femmes stage winner spending time up front in the break to stretch the race, a ride which was invaluable.

"I think she was really important," Kopecky explained. "She was there in the break with two Dutch riders. It gave me the opportunity to stay calm in the bunch, and when there were five of us I didn’t have to do the majority of the work so that was really nice. When Elisa attacked I didn’t have the answer, so it was good to know there was somebody."

It was a grim day in Zürich, with rain following incessantly, with the evidence being the many riders who passed through the mixed zone post-race with chattering teeth and visible goosebumps.

"I started with a rain jacket, but on the climbs it was just really warm, and then on the descent I got really cold, so I just kept my leg warmers for as long as possible," Kopecky explained of her wet weather attire. "I just knew I needed to get rid of them before the last climbs, because it gives a bad feeling to your legs."

As for Kopecky, our new and old world champion, she next heads to the UCI Gravel World Championships, with her sights set on another rainbow jersey. This one might be more difficult, though.

"I’ve never ridden a gravel race in my entire life, so it’s going to be a fun discovery," she explained "I’m going to do a recon next week, but I think there’s a lot of tarmac. The win is the goal, but it’s hard to say how I’ll go."

It's just another step on the road for Kopecky, the double world champion, the rider who is at her best on these tough days. More duties, more obligations, but she won't mind if she keeps winning.