Kopecky fights for 15th on Okolo Slovenska opener

The 69th edition of Okolo Slovenska began in explosive fashion with a spectacular finish on antique cobbled streets with Team Novo Nordisk and Matyas Kopecky going for it, but unfortunately still feeling the effects of the sickness that affected the Czech in last weeks Italian races. 

Today’s opening stage unfolded with a hilly 141.2km loop that started and finished in Bardejov in the Northeast and as expected the sprinters teams controlled the bunch behind the early breakaway. 

Despite late attacks inside the final kilometers, the front of the race came back together and the anticipated bunch sprint was exciting, but over almost as soon as it began with the cobbled streets by the town square providing a picturesque setting.

“It was a really nice finish today, the kind that would normally suit me down to the ground,” said Kopecky. “I’m still not 100% after last week and I hope that today’s effort blew some of this cold away and I get back to my best for the coming stages.”

“Thefrustrating thing is that the characteristics of nearly all the stages are really good for us, but when you’re not 100% the gap between the top 15 and the top 10 becomes bigger and up until the last kilometer I was hanging in there, but when the sprint started I didn’t have the kick but my heart rate was through the roof. Tomorrow is another good stage so rest and recovery tonight and hopefully it’s a better feeling.”