Kopecky in fine form for TNN ahead of Loire Tour
07 April 2025
Team Novo Nordisk head into the Region Pays de La Loire Tour with Czech sprinter Matyas Kopecky firing on all cylinders after recent 7th and 5th places at Paris-Camembert and Route Adelie de Vitre, respectively.
Positive performances that yield results always work wonders for confidence, no matter what field you may be in and a flying team is further boosted by the return of experienced team captain Andrea Peron.
“We go into Region Pays de La Loire Tour in high spirits,” said General Manager Vassili Davidenko. “The whole team did fantastic work at our last two races in France, Paris-Camembert and La Route Adelie to help Matyas to our best results of the season to date.”
“Four days of hard racing around the Loire Valley will clearly be a different challenge to a one day race, but we’ve shown over the last races that we are determined and resilient. That’s what I want to see from the guys again this week. Andrea comes back in after some problems with his wrist and we are almost at full strength, motivated and ready to go.”
Italians Filippo Ridolfo and Antonio Polga remain in France alongside Manxman Sam Brand and French neo pro Celestin Wattelle.
The 71st edition of the four day race will cover familiar terrain, with each stage ending in punchy finishing circuits and the classic finale in Le Mans.
“Some stages suit us better than others here at Loire Tour,” began Kopecky. “I like the harder finals and stages three and four are definitely more challenging circuits than the first two with the type of finals I like, but it looks like each day will have fast finishes and we will try our best to be there.”
“Of course, the results from Paris-Camembert and Vitre help our confidence and because the races are coming thick and fast now it’s nice to feel like you’re carrying good form into the next one without there being too much of a gap between where it’s possible to drop off. I don’t feel like we’ve been too far off our targets in any race so far this year, but back-to-back top ten’s gives us something to build on and try to carry forward and this week that will be here at Region Pays de La Loire Tour.”
Team Novo Nordisk at Region Pays de La Loire Tour, 8th – 11th April:
Sam Brand (GBR, 34)
Matyas Kopecky (CZ, 22)
Andrea Peron (IT, 36)
Antonio Polga (IT, 25)
Filippo Ridolfo (IT, 23)
Celestin Wattelle (FRA, 21)
Stages:
Tuesday 8th April, Stage 1: Machecoul – Saint-Meme – La Baule, 208.4km
Wednesday 9th April, Stage 2: Cugand-la-Bernardiere – Beaupreau-en-Muages, 158.5km
Thursday 10th April, Stage 3: Tierce – Hambers (La Butte de Montagiu), 165.9km
Friday 11th April, Stage 4: Sille-le-Guillaume – Le mans, 186.5km