Tour of Flanders Women 2025 LIVE - world champion Lotte Kopecky takes third victory in Oudenaarde after supreme sprint

It's been a pleasure to share a brilliant afternoon of classics racing with you all - please join us again next weekend when the men's and women's pelotons take on the Hell of the North - Paris-Roubaix - with two reigning world champions looking to extend their legacies by making yet more history in France.

Until next time, goodbye for now.

It's been a day to remember, as history was made on the lauded cobbles of the Tour of Flanders. Lotte Kopecky became the first rider in history to win three editions of the women's race, putting in a commanding performance on home soil to delight the Belgian faithful.

Kopecky will head to Paris-Roubaix Femmes in six days' time hoping to defend her title, in what could be a remarkable week for the world champion.

Speaking immediately after the race, Kopecky said: 'It was a crazy race with a lot of crashes in the beginning, I was pretty nervous. I didn't have the best legs in the beginning, but I tried to stay calm, and after a few climbs, my legs felt better and better, and then I know that in the end, I have a pretty good shot. So once you work with the four of us, I was pretty confident, actually.

'After an hour or two, I felt good. So from that moment on, I knew that it was much better than Wednesday so I just had to be confident. And once we got further into the race, Misha was out before the Oude Kruisberg which was a really good move for us. So I think, with our team SD Worx Pro-Time we did a really nice race.'

1. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx-ProTime)

2. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease A Bike)

3. Liane Lippert (Movistar)

4. Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM-zondacrypto)

5. Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal)

6. Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-Oatly)

7. Elise Chabbey (FDJ SUEZ)

8. Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek)

9. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck)

10. Marlen Reusser (Movistar)

Being forced to the front did not deter the world champion - she launched her sprint with confidence and her power was unbeatable - she crosses the line to take her third win at the Tour of Flanders, and Belgium has a reason to celebrate tonight.
Ferrand-Prévot finishes in second place and Lippert third.

Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) wins the sprint from the group behind.

Niewiadoma launches her attack - she knows she can't rely on her sprint. Kopecky closes her down and is now forced to the front.

The final kilometre of the race begins and the tension is palpable.

The four riders head into the final couple of kilometres in the 2025 Tour of Flanders.

3KM TO GO - KOPECKY EYES THIRD VICTORY
Kopecky could become the first rider to win three Tours of Flanders if she is able to deliver here in the final stages of what has been a brutal and thrilling battle. As for Ferrand-Prévot, Niewiadoma and Lippert, all three stand to take their first ever victory at the race, as they focus on the final.

The tension has ebbed out of the race somewhat as the group seems content to take it to a sprint finish. The group behind have let the chase go and are over 30 seconds behind the leaders now. It's been a long, tough day out today in Flanders.

7KM TO GO - GAP HOLDS STEADY
The chasing group are unable to make any headway, as the leading quartet ride well together at the front of the race. Kopecky takes a good look at each of her competitors as she drifts back down the line.

10KM TO GO - KOPECKY CONFIDENT
There's an air of confidence about Lotte Kopecky and rightly so - the world champion should theoretically be able to beat these three riders at the finish, however we've seen her have a wobble midweek at Dwars Door Vlaanderen, though she did come through the win the sprint from the group for second place. Liane Lippert is also fast at the finish - can Niewiadoma or Ferrand-Prévot engineer a scenario by which they can out-fox Kopecky and prevent it coming down to a sprint?

Niewiadoma is the first to attack as the leading group of four hit the climb, and next to attack is Lippert. The two look strongest on the climb, with Kopecky fighting to stay with them but Ferrand-Prévot looking as if she may lose touch with the group.

The Paterberg is done, and the group remain together - there's now 12km to go to the finish line, and there's nothing to separate these four riders. Kopecky is the most likely to win on paper, given her sprinting strength - can any of the others come up with a way to beat her?

The quartet of Niewiadoma, Kopecky, Lippert and Ferrand-Prévot enjoy a gap of around 25 seconds over the chase group. The Paterberg is a short, sharp shock of a climb that offers the rider with the legs the chance to launch a decisive attack. They enter the climb...

The four riders at the head of the race take a moment to catch their breath and take a look at one another, as they reach the summit of the Oude Kwaremont. In their wake, a chase group led by Puck Pieterse tries to bridge back to the leaders, but it may be too little too late.

18KM TO GO - KOPECKY HITS THE FRONT
The Belgian fans roar Kopecky up the climb, as an elite group of four riders moves clear, with Niewiadoma bridging to Kopecky, Lippert and Ferrand-Prévot while Paternoster can't stay with them. Kopecky leads the race, and the atmosphere is electric with fans lining both sides of this iconic ascent.

2.2 kilometres long, the crowds on the Oude Kwaremont greet the group of favourites as they begin the climb.Ferrand-Prévot, Kopecky and Lippert open up a small gap in the early stages of the climb, and Paternoster works hard to close them down. Niewiadoma is hot on her heels and passes her in pursuit of the leading trio.

20KM TO GO - RACE FAVOURITES ASSEMBLE
All of the race favourites are here, aside from Longo Borghini and Vos, with Kopecky, Ferrand-Prévot, van der Breggen, Niewiadoma, Ruegg, Reusser, Le Court, Lippert, Henderson and a few more - it looks as though this race will be decided between these 17 riders, as the race nears the Oude Kwaremont.

Ellen van Dijk is in intimidating form today, determined the rip the race to shreds in service of her team. She launches yet another blistering turn of pace, which Ferrand-Prévot and Reusser are equal to.
Henderson goes again, and is chased down by Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco). This race is wide open at the moment.

WIth just 25km left in today's race, the final selection looks to have been made, and it comprises around 18 riders. We have 6km to wait until the Oude Kwaremont, which offers a launchpad to anyone who has the legs to take it on.