Lotte Kopecký came to the Tour de Flanders with the hopes of the entire nation on his shoulders.

On Thursday, Kopecký told the press: "Belgium was already crazy, but after my victory in Strade Bianche, it got crazier. But I am really happy. I feel more support from everyone. Even today, everyone was cheering us on in Rickon.

The 26-year-old from Lumst, Antwerp, has been climbing for years on both track and road with Lotto Soudal and Liv Racing, but since signing with SD Walks, he has begun to show his World Tour potential this season.

Backed by Swiss champion Marlen Reusser, super-domestique Christine Majerus, former Flanders winner Chantal van den Broeck-Black, and the always in-form Demi Volering, Kopecký is the strongest in the women's peloton Kopecký is now carrying one of the strongest teams in the women's peloton.

Today, Kopecký gave her home country the Tour of Flanders victory in front of a huge crowd of cheering fans, a result they had been waiting for.

After an active final that included the women's first climb of the famous Koppenberg, Kopecký found herself in a select group that was noticeably missing another pre-race favorite, Elisa Balsamo.

When the lead group was down to Kopecký, Annemiek van Grooten, and Chantal van den Broeck-Black, the latter led out for 10 km for Kopecký, who faced van Grooten in a sprint. This was almost a direct replica of the first race of the Women's World Tour, Strade Bianche. Much like that race, Kopecký swept aside former world champion Van Grooten to become the first Belgian woman to win convincingly since Grace Verbeke in 2010.

"I was overwhelmed," Kopecký said after the race. I'm very grateful to my teammates and I think this win is not only for me, but for them as well."

"Normally I know I am faster than Anemiek, but after a hard race, I know Anemiek is faster and you can never be too confident.

Kopecký is still getting used to the attention from fans back home.

"Sometimes people ask me for autographs," Kopecký said on Thursday. Last year, I was riding along the bike path and a car drove by, rolled down its window and said, "Hey, can I take your picture?" And I said, "Yeah." Now ...... I was like, "Because I'm on it," and they wanted to stop on the road to take my picture.

But Kopecký, who won Belgium's biggest bike race wearing the national champion jersey, will have to get used to encounters like this.