In early May, Demi Vollering won the Spanish Vuelta Femenina with overwhelming dominance. The rider from Berkel, racing for SD Worx-Protime, succeeded her rival and now-retired Annemiek van Vleuten. Yet, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift remains the primary goal for the 27-year-old winner of the previous edition. “I just want to win again.”
Vollering not only triumphed in the overall classification of the Vuelta Femenina, but she also claimed two stage wins and the mountain classification. It was a fruitful edition of the Spanish race for Dutch cycling overall, as Marianne Vos from Team Visma | Lease a Bike also secured two stage victories, and her teammate Riejanne Markus finished second in the overall classification.
Extra motivation
After the dominant victory in Spain, all focus now shifts to the Tour de France Femmes. The race, starting in Rotterdam, is the main objective for the South Holland rider. The fact that the Grand Départ is close to her birthplace only adds extra motivation. She looks forward to the opening days of the race with great anticipation but is also aware that the windy roads of Voorne-Putten and the Westland can be treacherous. “Yes, I could certainly lose the Tour there,” she admits honestly. “But my motivation will be so high here, with so many people along the route, including friends and acquaintances, that I don’t think I’ll suffer a dip along the way.”
Less pressure
Last year, Vollering already won the overall classification. Nevertheless, she feels just as much sporting tension as she did before her first Tour victory. “Maybe there is slightly less pressure, especially from the outside, but I still want to win the Tour again. So, I put that pressure on myself.” The fact that Vollering already defeated arch-rival Van Vleuten before her cycling retirement does play a role in perhaps reducing the tension a bit, according to the SD Worx-Protime rider. “I think so, but on the other hand, you see other riders growing immensely now. It always remains challenging, even though Annemiek isn’t there. The level of the women’s peloton is rising very fast, which is good for cycling and great to see.”
Yellow more important than olympic gold
When asked if the Tour de France Femmes is the most important event of 2024, Vollering leaves no doubt. And whether only the yellow jersey at the top of Alpe d’Huez matters, she is even clearer. “Yes,” is the firm answer. “But I also hope I can really enjoy the first few days here and experience it very consciously. It’s special to start the biggest women’s cycling race in this region.” Unlike the Tour de France, Vollering is not yet focused on the Paris Olympics. “That’s a very beautiful and big goal, but I’m mainly going to have a lot of motivation for the Tour. I think it gives me a big advantage because the start is in the Netherlands. That gives it an extra charge.”