Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift 2024 Race Report: Lotte Kopecky won the women’s 2024 Paris-Roubaix. The World champion was the fastest in a sprint of six riders on the Roubaix velodrome after an exciting battle on the cobbles. She beat Elisa Balsamo and Pfeiffer Georgi into second and third places. Marianne Vos was fourth, Amber Kraak fifth and Ellen van Dijk sixth.
It was a close sprint, but Lotte Kopecky took it
Parcours
All the cobbles that were in last year’s women’s Paris-Roubaix are also in the this year’s route of 148.5 kilometres. An extra loop has been added between Villers-en-Cauchies and Avesnes-le-Sec in the first 30 kilometres. The start is in Denain for the fourth year in a row and there is a loop to give the race some extra distance. The only obstacle in this section could be the riders themselves as crashes due to nervousness early in the race can happen. After 60 kilometres the cobbles begin on the road between Hornaing and Wandignies-Hamage. In 2021, Lizzie Deignan attacked here for her 80 kilometre ride to victory. There are 17 sectors of cobbles over 29.2 kilometres, before the finish on the Roubaix track.
Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift map
The worst sectors are Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre, both with 5 stars. The important attacks could come here, but as we know, the decisive move in the ‘Hell of the North’ can come anywhere. And of course you have to have luck on your side as crashes and punctures can happen anywhere and to anyone. But that’s why we love this race.
Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift profile
Last year’s winner, Alison Jackson with her EF Education-Cannondale teammates at the start presentation in Denain
Two top favourites at the start – World champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike)
There were many attack attempts and some crashes in the nervous early part of the race. Alison Jackson, last year’s winner, fell twice. The Canadian champion was lucky and was able to rejoin the race. Victoire Joncheray (Komugi-Grand Est) managed to escape and take a lead of 2 minutes on the peloton. She tried her hardest, but at 112 kilometres from the finish, it was all together again.
The start of a Saturday in Hell
Warm and dry for the race to Roubaix
In the run-up to the first of the 17 cobbled sections, Hornaing à Wandignies, the bunch was together. The pace was high due to dsm-firmenich PostNL. No one tried to get away, but riders were being dropped. The peloton eventually split when Lotte Kopecky went to the front, 75 kilometres from the finish, on the Warlaing à Brillon section. A group of around 10 riders, split off the front.
Coryn Labecki (EF Education-Cannondale) hits the cobbles
Dust, puddles and cobbles for the peloton
The pace eased off a bit after that and riders could rejoin. Jackson got back on and attacked. This attack was neutralised by Ellen van Dijk, who then pushed on, on the fourth section. Things split behind her, but once on the smooth road it closed up again. Kopecky was having problems with loose handlebars, but got an allen key from her team car.
Past the famous farm house
Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Kopecky were in a split, but there was still 50k to go
On the four-star sector of Auchy-lez-Orchies à Bersée, Kopecky was again at the front and put a lot of pressure on the others. Four riders could follow her: Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike), Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck), Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime). Although Wiebes had to drop back to the second group.
As always, Marianne Vos was always near the front
The four were not at ‘Full Gas’, and the group with Wiebes returned on the five-star Mons-en-Pévèle. This happened thanks to the work of Van Dijk. Immediately after that section, Kopecky went again. It was a strong jump and the peloton split into two pieces, but the two parts quickly came back together.
Ellen Van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) crossed to Amber Kraak (FDJ-SUEZ) and then stayed with the group when Kopecky and Vos joined them
There was then several attacks. Van Dijk didn’t get away, but Jade Wiel did. The FDJ-SUEZ rider attacked 33 kilometres from the finish and had a lead of 30 seconds Ten kilometres later, she was caught. This was the signal for her teammate Amber Kraak to go. She had Van Dijk on her wheel and the two worked well together.
The winning move of the day: Vos, Kopecky and Van Dijk were there
At Camphin-en-Pévèle Kopecky accelerated again. At first Vos, Balsamo and Pfeiffer were able to follow, but the British rider got into trouble and lost the wheel. The other three pushed to Van Dijk and Kraak. It was also too fast for Balsamo on the Carrefour de l’Abre, just as Van Dijk was pushing hard. It was Vos who accelerated. Kraak closed the gap, after which Kopecky countered, but Vos jumped on the wheel of the World champion.
Georgi and Balsamo both were dropped from the leaders, but fought their way back
Balsamo and Pfeiffer managed to catch the front four, despite some disagreement. The chase group was still within 30 seconds. There were attacks form from Kraak and Van Dijk, but the six stayed together.
Kopecky swooped from behind
The win went to the World champion
It was going to be a sprint on the Roubaix velodrome. Balsamo started with a long effort. Vos passed her, but slowed in the final straight. Kopecky was flying round the outside. The World champion had a lot of speed at the end to hold off the other to win Paris-Roubaix for the first time. Balsamo was second, Georgi third. Marianne Vos had to settle for fourth place.
A very happy Lotte Kopecky
Race winner, World champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime): “This was the goal of the season. To do this is very nice. How much confidence the team gave me… They have been doing that all season, but especially this week my teammates tried to make me smile. They really believed I could win and they did a great job in the race. The fact that Lorena Wiebes was in the second group was perhaps the key for me. That sprint is always nervous. You are there with two fast sprinters, Vos and Balsamo, so you are never sure. For a moment I thought I was boxed in, so I had to start sprinting early. And luckily I could keep sprinting.”
The 2024 Paris-Roubaix podium – Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) and Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift Result:
1. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime in 3:47:13
2. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek
3. Pfeiffer Georgi (GB) dsm-firmenich PostNL
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike
5. Amber Kraak (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ
6. Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Lidl-Trek at 0:06
7. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:28
8. Victoire Berteau (Fra) Cofidis
9. Marie Le Net (Fra) FDJ-SUEZ
10. Kimberley (Le Court) Pienaar (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal.
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