TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 02: Gold medalist Yulimar Rojas of Team Venezuela poses during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Triple Jump on day ten of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 02, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/G
Image credit: Eurosport
Lotte Kopecky will ride in the Giro d’Italia, as she sets her sights on a gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
That’s on the back of winning the Tour de France in 2023, but her participation in this year’s edition of the race remains unclear.
“There is no long list for the Tour yet because certain riders are injured and it is not yet clear whether they will be fit.
“After Liege, I will sit down with Lotte and talk about the Tour. The most important thing is what she wants.”
Stam refers to the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes on April 21, in which Kopecky will also participate as it is her home event.
But because the Tour de France takes so close to the Olympics this year, she remains uncertain over whether to saddle up.
The 28-year old is set to focus on the arduous Ominium at Paris 2024, so it is important she manages her schedule.
That makes the Giro an attractive proposition, given it runs from July 7-14, three weeks before the Olympics.
“Demi is our leader in the Ardennes,” added Stam. “We hope to win at least one victory with her.
“From now on, Demi is the leading lady and Lotte is a shadow leading lady. An important role. I still expect something from Lotte.
“There was a lot of pressure on our team and Lotte as world champion, but she won Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix. Then you can call it a successful campaign.
“It is not the course that will be decisive for Lotte in Liège, but the mental and physical freshness after a long spring.
“She has been working towards the Tour of Flanders and Roubaix. It remains to be seen how much is left in her tank compared to those who will be relatively fresh at the start.”
Lotte Kopecky will ride in the Giro d’Italia, as she sets her sights on a gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
That’s on the back of winning the Tour de France in 2023, but her participation in this year’s edition of the race remains unclear.
“There is no long list for the Tour yet because certain riders are injured and it is not yet clear whether they will be fit.
“After Liege, I will sit down with Lotte and talk about the Tour. The most important thing is what she wants.”
Stam refers to the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes on April 21, in which Kopecky will also participate as it is her home event.
But because the Tour de France takes so close to the Olympics this year, she remains uncertain over whether to saddle up.
The 28-year old is set to focus on the arduous Ominium at Paris 2024, so it is important she manages her schedule.
That makes the Giro an attractive proposition, given it runs from July 7-14, three weeks before the Olympics.
“Demi is our leader in the Ardennes,” added Stam. “We hope to win at least one victory with her.
“From now on, Demi is the leading lady and Lotte is a shadow leading lady. An important role. I still expect something from Lotte.
“There was a lot of pressure on our team and Lotte as world champion, but she won Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix. Then you can call it a successful campaign.
“It is not the course that will be decisive for Lotte in Liège, but the mental and physical freshness after a long spring.
“She has been working towards the Tour of Flanders and Roubaix. It remains to be seen how much is left in her tank compared to those who will be relatively fresh at the start.”
Legendary British gymnast Max Whitlock has confirmed that he will retire following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Whitlock, 31, has won three Olympic gold medals and has a total of 32 major international medals, making him Britain’s most successful gymnast.
Whitlock explained later in an interview with the BBC that he always wanted to compete at an Olympics where his daughter Willow could watch him in the arena, as she wasn’t allowed at the Covid-19-impacted Tokyo games in 2021.
He did explain, speaking on BBC Breakfast, that he’s had a lot of questions about when he might step away but 2024 seems right.
“Going for my final Olympic Games, it feels very, very strange talking about it and it’s almost hard to articulate what it’s like.
“It’s a really nice mindset to be in, to think, I’ll just give it all I’ve got.
“Ever since Rio where I was at my peak age, I think I’ve had questions thrown at me about when am I retiring.
“I’ve wanted to prove people wrong a lot of the way through my journey and I’ve always had the mindset of trying to do this for as long as I possibly can.
“Now I’ve given myself the opportunity for Willow to come and watch an Olympic Games because she couldn’t in Tokyo. That’s such a good feeling for me,” he said.
“When I’m in arenas competing, Willow waits for it to go quiet and she calls for me and we do this double thumbs-up, I think I’d love to do that in the Paris Olympics.”
Whitlock will be gunning for a fourth Olympic medal on the same apparatus, on the pommel horse, having already won two golds and a bronze. Should he achieve that feat he will become the first gymnast in history to do so.
Legendary British gymnast Max Whitlock has confirmed that he will retire following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Whitlock, 31, has won three Olympic gold medals and has a total of 32 major international medals, making him Britain’s most successful gymnast.
Whitlock explained later in an interview with the BBC that he always wanted to compete at an Olympics where his daughter Willow could watch him in the arena, as she wasn’t allowed at the Covid-19-impacted Tokyo games in 2021.
He did explain, speaking on BBC Breakfast, that he’s had a lot of questions about when he might step away but 2024 seems right.
“Going for my final Olympic Games, it feels very, very strange talking about it and it’s almost hard to articulate what it’s like.
“It’s a really nice mindset to be in, to think, I’ll just give it all I’ve got.
“Ever since Rio where I was at my peak age, I think I’ve had questions thrown at me about when am I retiring.
“I’ve wanted to prove people wrong a lot of the way through my journey and I’ve always had the mindset of trying to do this for as long as I possibly can.
“Now I’ve given myself the opportunity for Willow to come and watch an Olympic Games because she couldn’t in Tokyo. That’s such a good feeling for me,” he said.
“When I’m in arenas competing, Willow waits for it to go quiet and she calls for me and we do this double thumbs-up, I think I’d love to do that in the Paris Olympics.”
Whitlock will be gunning for a fourth Olympic medal on the same apparatus, on the pommel horse, having already won two golds and a bronze. Should he achieve that feat he will become the first gymnast in history to do so.
Novak Djokovic has revealed his “priority” this season is to peak for the Paris Olympics, as he chases a much-desired gold medal for likely the final time in his career.
Victory at the Olympic Games is one of the few achievements missing from Djokovic’s glittering CV.
His best result was at Beijing 2008 when he won bronze, and since then he has lost in two third-place matches and was beaten in the first round in Rio in 2016.
At the age of 36, this summer’s Olympics will probably be Djokovic’s last chance to win gold.
“But in the last three or four Olympics, it’s not been possible for me to reach the later stages.
“The situation is a bit different now. We are playing our first Olympics on clay. I want to be ready physically and mentally.”
The Olympic tennis event will be played on clay at Roland-Garros, which is also the venue for the French Open.
Djokovic is a three-time winner of the French Open and he is bidding to claim a 25th Grand Slam title this year to move him into the all-time lead ahead of Margaret Court.
“It’s all about building my game for clay courts,” said Djokovic.
“I want to reach my peak for Paris – that’s where I want to play my best tennis. Anything else is a bonus, so let’s see what happens.”
Former coach Goran Ivanisevic has said he hopes Djokovic manages to achieve his goal this summer.
“It’s something that he wants, he feels like he owes it to someone, although he doesn’t owe anyone anything… I wish for him to succeed in the Olympics.”
Djokovic’s immediate focus will be returning to his best form in Monte Carlo.
His last match saw him beaten by lucky loser Luca Nardi in the third round of Indian Wells and it is just the second time in six years that he arrives in Monte Carlo having not won at least one title for the season.
“My expectations are not very high, with the way I have been playing this year at the tournaments and also the results that I had in Monaco in previous years were not great, so I keep my expectations low,” he said.
“For me, it is about building my game on clay courts and trying to reach the peak again.
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Alcaraz says he must ‘trust’ his ankle as he prepares for Monte Carlo – ‘Let’s see’
“For some players like myself, it requires a little more time to reach the top level of tennis. Earlier in my career I was doing better in Monte Carlo. I won titles in 2013 and 2015, quite a long time ago. The last five or six editions here have not been that successful and I am always hoping that could change.
“I am going into the tournament with enthusiasm and excitement that I am here. I didn’t play in Miami, so had extra time to practise on clay and get my body and game adjusted to this surface so let’s see how it goes.”
Novak Djokovic has revealed his “priority” this season is to peak for the Paris Olympics, as he chases a much-desired gold medal for likely the final time in his career.
Victory at the Olympic Games is one of the few achievements missing from Djokovic’s glittering CV.
His best result was at Beijing 2008 when he won bronze, and since then he has lost in two third-place matches and was beaten in the first round in Rio in 2016.
At the age of 36, this summer’s Olympics will probably be Djokovic’s last chance to win gold.
“But in the last three or four Olympics, it’s not been possible for me to reach the later stages.
“The situation is a bit different now. We are playing our first Olympics on clay. I want to be ready physically and mentally.”
The Olympic tennis event will be played on clay at Roland-Garros, which is also the venue for the French Open.
Djokovic is a three-time winner of the French Open and he is bidding to claim a 25th Grand Slam title this year to move him into the all-time lead ahead of Margaret Court.
“It’s all about building my game for clay courts,” said Djokovic.
“I want to reach my peak for Paris – that’s where I want to play my best tennis. Anything else is a bonus, so let’s see what happens.”
Former coach Goran Ivanisevic has said he hopes Djokovic manages to achieve his goal this summer.
“It’s something that he wants, he feels like he owes it to someone, although he doesn’t owe anyone anything… I wish for him to succeed in the Olympics.”
Djokovic’s immediate focus will be returning to his best form in Monte Carlo.
His last match saw him beaten by lucky loser Luca Nardi in the third round of Indian Wells and it is just the second time in six years that he arrives in Monte Carlo having not won at least one title for the season.
“My expectations are not very high, with the way I have been playing this year at the tournaments and also the results that I had in Monaco in previous years were not great, so I keep my expectations low,” he said.
“For me, it is about building my game on clay courts and trying to reach the peak again.
Alcaraz says he must ‘trust’ his ankle as he prepares for Monte Carlo – ‘Let’s see’
“For some players like myself, it requires a little more time to reach the top level of tennis. Earlier in my career I was doing better in Monte Carlo. I won titles in 2013 and 2015, quite a long time ago. The last five or six editions here have not been that successful and I am always hoping that could change.
“I am going into the tournament with enthusiasm and excitement that I am here. I didn’t play in Miami, so had extra time to practise on clay and get my body and game adjusted to this surface so let’s see how it goes.”
