The severe back pain that Lotte Kopecky was experiencing after the crash that forced her to withdraw from the Tour de l'Ardèche had serious reasons, which were only revealed by new examinations upon her return to Belgium: this was communicated in recent hours by SD Worx Protime, the team for which the Belgian world champion competes.

"Lotte has suffered a vertebral fracture following her fall during the third stage of the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l'Ardèche. The athlete will need to rest for the next few days. Subsequently, the progress of the fracture will be evaluated. Only then will it be possible to determine when she can return to cycling and the duration of her rehabilitation." In the statement, the team emphasizes that Kopecky had already chosen not to defend her world title in Rwanda, but the world track championships are currently still on her calendar.

Using the words that the world champion herself had written to her fans, everything is now even more uncertain. We wish Lotte a speedy recovery.