Lotte Kopecky Wins Second Consecutive World Title

Belgian cyclist Lotte Kopecky won her second consecutive Women's Road Race World Championship in Zurich amidst challenging rainy weather and low temperatures. She managed to recover from being dropped on the final climb due to hesitation among the leaders and questionable tactics from the Dutch team. American Chloe Dygert secured the silver medal, achieving the best finish for an American woman since 1991, while Italian Elisa Longo Borghini took bronze. The race was emotionally charged, starting with a minute's silence for Swiss junior cyclist Muriel Furrer, who had died from a crash earlier in the week. Kopecky acknowledged the difficulty of the race due to the weather and terrain, highlighting the mental and physical challenges. This victory marks her as the first woman to repeat as world champion since Marianne Vos in 2012-2013.