SAD NEWS BEFORE TOUR DE FRANCE FEMMES: Lotte Kopecky Gives Up Her Yellow Jersey Dream Because of 12 Heartbreaking Words That Make Her Teammates Cry in the Meeting Room – The Entire European Cycling World Is Shocked by an Unexpected Decision
Just days before the 2025 edition of the Tour de France Femmes was set to begin, the European cycling community has been rocked by a devastating announcement: Belgian cycling superstar Lotte Kopecky will not be chasing the yellow jersey this year. The decision, which came as a complete shock to fans, journalists, and even her closest teammates, was delivered in an emotional team meeting where Kopecky reportedly uttered “I can’t carry this weight anymore – I need to breathe” — twelve words that, according to witnesses, left her entire squad in stunned silence before tears began to flow.
Kopecky, widely regarded as one of the top contenders for the general classification, had spent months preparing meticulously for this race. After a powerful Spring season and impressive showings in the Classics, many considered her the rider best poised to challenge for the yellow jersey. Yet behind the scenes, the pressure had been building — and Kopecky, in a rare moment of vulnerability, chose to prioritize her mental and emotional well-being over glory.
Insiders from her team, SD Worx-Protime, confirmed that the decision was not injury-related, nor due to any illness or doping concerns. Instead, it was a deeply personal and internal battle. According to staff present in the room, Kopecky had struggled silently with anxiety, high expectations, and overwhelming mental fatigue. When she finally opened up, her words hit with the weight of someone who’s been carrying far too much for far too long.
The response from her teammates was immediate and emotional. Riders who had trained alongside her for years broke into tears, some reportedly walking out of the room in disbelief, while others embraced Kopecky in silence. The meeting, which was meant to be a tactical pre-race briefing, turned into a cathartic emotional release — a rare but powerful moment in professional sports where raw humanity eclipsed medals and podiums.
This sudden turn of events has left cycling fans and analysts scrambling for explanations and adjusting expectations. Without Kopecky, the GC field opens up significantly. Rivals such as Demi Vollering, Elisa Longo Borghini, and Katarzyna Niewiadoma may now face a less crowded path to the podium, but many have already expressed deep respect for Kopecky’s honesty and strength. “It takes more courage to step back than to keep pushing when you’re hurting inside,” one rider wrote anonymously in a post that has since gone viral.
Reaction from fans has also been overwhelmingly supportive. Social media has exploded with hashtags like #RespectLotte and #MentalHealthMatters, showing solidarity with the Belgian rider. Former pros, including Marianne Vos and Annemiek van Vleuten, have chimed in as well, praising Kopecky for setting an example that transcends cycling.
Yet, beneath the support lies a collective sense of loss. Kopecky was not just a favorite — she represented a symbol of determination, national pride, and relentless ambition. Her absence creates a vacuum not only on the road but in the very spirit of the Tour de France Femmes 2025. The yellow jersey may now rest on different shoulders, but the emotional weight Kopecky has left behind is impossible to ignore.
As the peloton prepares to depart, questions remain: Will Kopecky return later in the season? Can SD Worx rally behind a new leader in time? And most poignantly, what does this say about the true cost of greatness in modern sport?
For now, the cycling world is left to process one of the most emotional exits in recent memory — not because of a crash or scandal, but because a champion found the strength to say, “enough.”
