The Giro d'Italia Women loses an illustrious protagonist, Lotte Kopecky will not be at the start of the sixth stage departing from Bellaria, Igea Marina. Just yesterday, the world champion was truly valuable in the role of lead out for Lorena Wiebes, who had conquered her second stage in Monselice. The Sd Worx Pro Time team's statement speaks of a precautionary choice for Kopecky, who felt back pain on the climb and decided not to overexert herself.

Lotte Kopecky's declared seasonal goal is the Tour de France Femmes. The world champion has structured her entire 2025 around this important challenge, carefully choosing the races to participate in and deciding to debut only at Milan-Sanremo, more than a month after her direct rivals. She came to the Giro Women to test her form for the Grand Boucle, but it wasn't just simple training because the Belgian managed to secure a second place in the opening time trial and a third place in the Trento stage won by Wiebes. Unlike last year, she struggled particularly on the climbs, losing contact with the group early on both the Aprica and Valdobbiadene stages, a clear signal that something wasn't right and that she preferred not to push too hard. Kopecky will take three or four days of complete rest to then resume her Tour preparation.

This is an important absence, especially for Anna Van Der Breggen, who after yesterday's echelon stage has moved up to third place in the general classification, 1'53" behind the pink jersey. In the last three complicated days of racing, Kopecky would have been a crucial piece for the Sd Worx Pro Time powerhouse. We'll have to wait for the Tour de France Femmes, starting next July 26th, to see the world champion in action again.