# Belgian women's cycling team World Championship preparations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/belgian-womens-cycling-team-world-championship-preparations
> Updated: 2026-09-12T09:51:57.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

Lotte Kopecky was appointed captain of the Belgian national women’s cycling team for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal. The Belgian federation announced a squad including Shari Bossuyt, Justine Ghekiere, Julie Van De Velde, Margot Vanpachtenbeke, and Lotte Claes, though they opted not to field a full squad for the team relay due to logistical and financial constraints.

Following a crash at the Faun Tour de l'Ardèche, Justine Ghekiere was subsequently ruled out of the championships after medical exams revealed a “small, non-displaced fracture of her patella.” Her injury, which ends her season, necessitated a tactical shift for the team. Sandrine Tas was named as the replacement for Ghekiere to support Kopecky on the Montréal course.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-12: Justine Ghekiere ruled out of World Cycling Championships

Justine Ghekiere will miss the UCI Road World Championships in Montréal due to a knee fracture, with Sandrine Tas named as her replacement for the Belgian squad led by Lotte Kopecky.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/justine-ghekiere-ruled-out-of-world-cycling-championships

### 2026-09-06: Lotte Kopecky named captain for Belgian women's cycling team

Lotte Kopecky will captain the Belgian women's cycling team at the World Championships in Montréal, seeking a third road world title.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lotte-kopecky-named-captain-for-belgian-womens-cycling-team

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Cite as: Belgian women's cycling team World Championship preparations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/belgian-womens-cycling-team-world-championship-preparations