Lotte Kopecky has finished runner-up in Ghent-Wevelgem both of the last two times and will be looking to make it a third time on Sunday. But despite back-to-back podium finishes, the Team SD Walks rider knows that she will have to take advantage of the race to stay in the top half of the standings.

Kopecky debuted in Ghent-Wevelgem in 2015, baptized by the wind at the age of 19, finishing in the main pack six minutes behind the winner; he has steadily improved his results, finishing in the lead pack in 2017, sixth in 2019, and runner-up the past two years.

At the end of the season, in 2020, he lost in a small group sprint to Jolien Dufour, and last year he lost to Marianne Vos (Jumbo Visma) from a much larger group.

"This race suits me because I have already finished second twice," Kopecky told reporters at this week's Classique Bourges des Pannes.

Kopecký knows that victory is not easy to come by. This week, the northern part of Belgium has been blessed with warm and mild conditions.

"A bit boring" was Kopecký's assessment of Brugge des Painnes. Kopecký rallied his teammates to try for a split on the exposed plains of De Molen, but the wind was not there and the race was headed for a group sprint.

Ghent-Wevelgem is another race that can be ragged on windy days and sees a group sprint on calm days. It will be difficult for Kopecký to sprint against the fastest two in the peloton, such as Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) and Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM), who have sprinted together in Ghent-Wevelgem in the past.

As evidenced by his victory in Strade Bianche, Kopecký has gone from sprinter to climber to all-rounder.

"Lotte can win many races because she is an all-around talent. Lotte can win a lot of races because she has all-around talent. That's her plus point," Lars Boom, director of SD Works, told Cycling News.

"If you saw her in Strade, it's a race with a lot of elevation gain, she can climb and she can endure hard parcours. She can win alone or in a big group.

Despite Sunday's weather forecast, Kopecky can be excited about the route changes for the 2022 edition of Ghent-Wevelgem. Nearly 20 kilometers were added to the distance, visiting De Mohren, an important spark in the men's race, and climbing both sides of the Kemelberg for the first time.

"In the end, there doesn't seem to be much wind. But we'll climb the Kemelberg twice and also the steepest side of the Kemelberg. That's where I hope the race will be harder," Kopecky said. [If the wind blows in the last 20 km, a lot of riders will fall off.

Boom confirmed that SD Walks will continue with the multi-card format that has served the classic stage for many years. Wednesday's information suggests that Uneken can sit back and wait for a group sprint, while riders such as Chantal van den Broeck-Braak and Marlen Reusser will be looking to tear the race apart from the range.

As for Kopecky, he doesn't seem to want to race too conservatively and will certainly break out on the final climb of the Kemmelberg.

"If I were to start the race with a feeling of revenge for second place, I would go to ....... 'The Tour of Flanders remains my main goal, but if there is a chance to finally win in Ghent-Wevelgem, I'm not going to let it slip away. "

SD Worx for Gent-Wevelgem: Elena Cecchini, Lotte Kopecky, Christine Majerus, Marlen Reusser, Ronneke Uneken, Chantal van den Broeck-Braak.