Evenepoel and Kopecky win Flandrien titles, Kopecky speculates about Tour: "What makes it attractive for me is..."

So, after last month's Crystal Bicycle presentation, the two could add another award to their cupboard. Evenepoel and Kopecky were the apparent winners: the Soudal Quick-Step rider won gold twice at the Olympics, finished third in the Tour de France, and became the world time trial champion again. Kopecky's wins included Paris-Roubaix and the Strade Bianche and prolonged her world road title.

Unlike Evenepoel, the SD Worx-Protime cyclist was present at the gala. She received the award in a red glitter dress. "You get used to it a bit, but the recognition is still nice," she said about winning many awards in front of the microphones. Although she has now received enough awards to decorate an entire room, she puts the trophies away for now. "I don't want to sound disrespectful, but I'm collecting everything together in the attic. I must think about what to do with all those trophies."

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At the gala, the two-time world champion shed a little light on the next season, although she did not want to say too much about her possible program in 2025. In the spring, she wants to expand her classics program a bit: for example, the Amstel Gold Race is a new challenge, but Liège-Bastogne-Liège is also possible. But the elephant in the room is the Tour de France. Will she compete there? "To know that, I need to study the Tour course first. Is it something, or can I turn the page right away? It has to be worth making those choices and sacrifices if I want to try it. What makes it attractive is that I was already second in the Tour and Giro without any specific preparation. Then you tend to think more quickly, what if...?"