Vollering, Niewiadoma and the last test before the Tour - 2025 Tour de Suisse preview

Twelve months ago, Demi Vollering, then racing in the colours of SD Worx-Protime, dominated in Switzerland as the Dutch star claimed three of the four stage wins, as well as the general classification. Now an FDJ-SUEZ rider, not much else has changed as Vollering is still a GC winning machine and comes into the Tour de Suisse as the big favourite, ahead of a return to the Tour de France Femmes.

The women’s version of the Tour de Suisse first came into existence back in 1998 and ran through until 2001 before a 20-year hiatus. In 2021, the Tour de Suisse Women was restarted in conjunction with the men’s race, but only took place over two days. This changed in the following year to four stages, which is what the race remains at for 2025. In 2023, the race joined the UCI Women’s WorldTour, increasing its status and significance. Additionally, the positioning of the race is of extra significance as it is the final UCI Women’s WorldTour stage race before both the Giro d’Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. This means that the race has attracted some big names in recent years, as it serves as an ideal warm-up race for both major tours, but also an important race to add to the palmares.

Not since the race’s rebrand has a winner been able to defend their title the following year, with victories for Lizzie Deignan in 2021, Lucinda Brand in 2022, and Marlen Reusser in 2023, before Vollering’s triumph last year. But based on current form and pedigree, there’s no one quite like Demi Vollering, and this trend could be set to change.

Defending champion Demi Vollering is in a fine streak of form right now, heading into Switzerland off the back of GC victories at La Vuelta España Femenina and Itzulia Women, and the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. The Dutch star has a 100% win rate at stage races since her move to FDJ-SUEZ in the winter, having also picked up the title at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in February. Things feel very similar to last year as Vollering also won the Vuelta España Femenina, Itzulia Women, and another Spanish stage race in the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas before taking the title in Switzerland. It’s safe to say that Vollering will have a strong team to support her in the quest to defend the title, with Elise Chabbey, Amber Kraak, Jade Wiel, Eglantine Rayer, and recent Catalunya stage winner Loes Adegeest in the FDJ-SUEZ clan.

Defending Tour de France Femmes champion Kasia Niewiadoma will be one of the main threats to Vollering despite a relatively low-key performance from the Polish rider in the last showdown between the duo at the Vuelta España Femenina in May. Last year’s runner-up and stage 3 winner Neve Bradbury also returns to the race, and between the two of them, the Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto will be hoping that they can ask questions of Vollering and FDJ-SUEZ.

Former winner Marlen Reusser (Movistar) returns having recently won the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas and finished runner-up to Vollering at the Vuelta España Femenina. The Swiss rider will be motivated to dethrone Vollering at her home race and regain the title she claimed in 2023.

Cédrine Kerbaol, Noemi Rüegg and Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-EasyPost), Mavi García and Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco), Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal Team), Femke de Vries and Marion Bunel (Visma | Lease a Bike), Nienke Vinke and Marta Cavalli (Picnic PostNL), Mareille Meijering (Movistar), and Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) are some of the other names to watch from a GC perspective.

Former World Champion, Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), stands out as the fastest sprinter in the field and will have Emma Norsgaard as key support, but the Italian star isn’t the only rider capable of success this coming week. Niamh Fisher-Black, Amanda Spratt and Gaia Realini are all established GC riders who will likely feature in the top 10 shake-out. One of the most exciting inclusions on the start list is the 20-year-old multidisciplined Canadian star, Isabella Holmgren, who could be set to have a breakthrough performance in Switzerland.

SD Worx-Protime remain as one of the powerhouse teams in the sport despite the loss of the likes of Vollering, Reusser and Fisher-Black, and arrives in Switzerland with a team capable of success. Although this success is most likely to come in the form of a stage win, with a plethora of options such as Mischa Bredewold, Femke Gerritse, and Blanka Vas. Also, watch out for home rider Steffi Häberlin.

Before they know it, the peloton of the Tour de Suisse Women will be climbing in the Alps as the opening stage begins on the lower slopes of the Saanenmöser Pass (5.2km at 5%). The stage begins and finishes in the town of Gstaad and takes the riders immediately up the slopes of the Saanenmöser Pass.

It’s a brutal start to the race, but it should lead to an exciting battle early on for the breakaway and mountain points. The opening stage follows a similar format to 2024, with a mountainous affair and also being the shortest in the race. However, the 2025 edition’s opening stage is slightly longer than the 58.6 kilometres from last year, standing at 95.5 kilometres in length.

The Saanenmöser Pass isn’t even the hardest climb of the stage, as the Jaunpass (8.1km at 8%) follows shortly afterwards. The Jaunpass is more than difficult enough to split the races into pieces; however, the only issue is that the summit comes over 65 kilometres from the finish line in Gstaad, meaning that a race-defining attack is unlikely. The most likely scenario for the finish in Gstaad is a reduced bunch sprint, but riders who come into this race unprepared could certainly be found out.

For the second consecutive stage, the road immediately ascends the Saanenmöser, but this time from a higher point. In truth, this stage is more difficult than the opening affair as there are over 2,300 metres of elevation gain to contend with in 161.7 kilometres of racing.

The first categorised test of the day is up Schallenberg (20.5 kilometres at 3%), which is a climb that can be broken into parts compared to its categorised stats. It's the longest climb of the stage and the only first-category ascent.

Next up are the punchier ascents up Wintermatt (1.6km at 10%) and Buechenhübeli (5.7km at 6%), with the latter to be crested less than 20 kilometres from the finish. This is a stage perfect for attackers and climbers with a fast finish. There could even be a GC rider or two caught wanting by the difficult climbs on the menu.

This is the stage that the sprinters will have circled as their best opportunity for success. It’s by no means an easy stage, but the race organisers have marked this stage as a flat one, by Tour de Suisse standards. In total, there are still over 1,200 metres of elevation on this 123.1 kilometre stage.

Beginning at the Campus Sursee in Oberkirch, the largest educational centre and seminar hotel in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, the route quickly takes the riders towards the first of two categorised climbs on the stage, Booler Pass (1.9km at 6.3%). A long flat section follows, which includes the intermediate sprint, before the toughest section for the sprinters to deal with comes at around 40 kilometres to go.

The Unterageri (4.5km at 4.2%), which is crested with less than 40 kilometres remaining, is the main obstacle that stands in the way of the sprinters and the finish in Küssnacht. Although there is also a little steep kicker into Sattel with around 20 kilometres remaining, so the sprinters will want to position near the front here to afford some sliding room.

The final curtain of the 2025 Tour de Suisse Women, and an opportunity to turn the GC standings upside down with a tough hilly stage that features just under 2,000 metres of elevation gain. In total, there are two different categorised climbs in this stage, both to be tackled twice, and they are defined by their punchy nature

First is the Adligenswilerstrasse (1.7km at 7%), and the initial ascent comes in the opening 10 kilometres of the stage. This is shortly followed by the more significant Michaelskreuzstrasse (3.9km at 9%), which earns a second category status compared to it's third category counterpart. After these first two ascents, the riders will get two looks at the finish line in Küssnacht before the most crucial section of the stage and arguably the entire Tour de Suisse. 

Inside the final 35 kilometres, the race repeats the ascents of both climbs and is primed for fireworks, especially if the race lead or podium positions are still up for grabs. The final ascent of Michaelskreuzstrasse is most important and will split the race into pieces, if it hasn't already. If a rider cracks on a climb of this magnitude, minutes can be lost, and with the summit coming less than 15 kilometres from the finish, the entire race will still be on the line as the riders ascend the climb's steep slopes. 

It's set to be a thrilling conclusion to a very difficult 2025 Tour de Suisse Women route.