World champion Lotte Kopecky slammed Demi Volering's comments that the two had stopped talking after she revealed their relationship deteriorated at the end of the 2024 season as “completely unnecessary.”

Vollaring spoke to the NRC last month and revealed how her loss of the Tour de France femme and her final months at SD Warx Pro Time were tumultuous, and how communication broke down after her departure was confirmed.

With Kopecký's extension to stay on as the future main leader of the Dutch team and the messy announcement of Volering's departure, Volering claimed that the dynamics between the two had changed, both during the race and when they spoke to each other.

“It's completely different from last year,” Volering told the Dutch newspaper. 'I think she [Kopecký] tried to avoid me a little bit. That's understandable, considering the expectations of her in Belgium. But she was very focused on next year, when I won't be there anymore.”

“When I raced with Lotte during the season, I raced with two plans. A plan for Lotte and a plan for Demi.

Kopecký did not withhold his assessment of the soon-to-be-rival's comments from Het Laatste Nieuws.

“It's a shame that these articles are coming out now. I don't think there is any need to kick it now at all. I think Demi should be reminded that this team has given her a lot,” Kopecký told the Belgian newspaper.

“Demi is a really good rider, but this team has brought her to where she is.

“The spring did not go well for Demi. Fortunately, we were able to recover in the subsequent race in Spain, but I don't think it was my fault that things didn't work out before that. After that we ran separate programs. She went for the Tour and I went for the Giro and the Olympics.”

According to Vollering, the two directly competed for the overall win at the Tour de Romandie in September. The Dutchwoman won the second stage in a sprint contest, but in the end Kopecký took the GC win.

Here Vollering claimed that the two had stopped talking, but Kopecký did not see it quite the same way.

“We tried to do that all season, but we realized that the communication was one-sided. In Romandie, we kind of avoided each other a little bit. And I thought it was over.”

“The first time we met [in a race] in the team since the spring was in Romandie, where Demi said he wanted to win the overall and I said I wanted to win the overall. That's when Demi said she was going for the overall.

“I think it's unfortunate that she would make such a statement. She's a romantic and she told me all about her wedding plans. So it's not like we don't talk to each other anymore ....... Maybe her boiling point is just lower than mine?

When Vollering moves to FDJ Suez in 2025, they will likely be direct rivals in the spring classics and Tour de France femmes, but Kopecký hopes the two can move forward with mutual respect.

“I don't know exactly what is bothering her. Demi and I have always had a good relationship,” Kopecky said.

“Even after that incident at Strade Bianche 2023, we always laughed about it in the team.

“I never got the sense that our relationship went bad after that. At least for me it did. I hope Demi does too.”