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Lotte Kopecky faces a disappointing setback at La Vuelta Femenina, finishing last in a controversial sprint finish. Here's why this incident could significantly impact her chances in the points classification.
Kopecky, riding for SD Worx-Protime, appeared poised for victory in stage 2 but veered off course during her sprint. After launching from the slipstream of teammate Anna van der Breggen, she collided with stage winner Shari Bossuyt of AG Insurance-Soudal and then bumped into Franziska Koch of FDJ United-Suez, ultimately crossing the line in 15th place.
The race officials responded by relegating her to the back of her group and imposing a fine of 500CHF for violating race rules. Additionally, Kopecky received a yellow card and lost 18 points in the green jersey classification, dropping her from second to 14th place, now 38 points behind Bossuyt.
A frustrated Kopecky explained that a misstep with her gear shifting contributed to the mishap. Despite this setback, she looks ahead to another potential sprint opportunity in stage 3 to A Coruña. The stakes are high as she navigates this challenging situation in one of the season's most significant women's races.
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