Vollering bounces back from Worlds disappointment with European title

Demi Vollering had a clear strategy in mind for the European Championships road race and she stuck to the plan by pressing clear alone on the key climb of the Côte de Saint-Romain-de-Lerps.

A week ago in Kigali, Vollering and the favourites were outflanked by the winning move. This time out, the Dutchwoman got her retaliation in first by attacking with almost 40km remaining.

After shaking off Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland), Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) and compatriot Anna van der Breggen, Vollering proceeded to cruise to the European title, her first elite championship victory in Dutch national colours.

“I’m really proud to take the jersey home for the Dutch team because we did the perfect race today together and also I felt really good today,” Vollering said. 

“In the last few days I was really confident, and I wanted to try to go early because I knew that all the time trial training I did for the World Championships was still in me. I wanted to go early. I wanted to be sure of victory going into the last part by myself.”

The Dutch squad massed on the front ahead of the climb of the Côte de Saint-Romains-de-Lerps, whittling down the peloton before Vollering unleashed her two-part attack. After first going clear with Van der Breggen, Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini, she kicked again nearer the summit.

“We did a good race with the whole team, so I wanted to finish it off for them,” said Vollering. “When there were only four of us, I thought, ‘Let’s try to ride,’ but then I thought, ‘No, I want to go alone. I stayed calm and went to the back for a moment, and then it was all-in – all or nothing.”

Vollering’s victory was her 11th of a season that also included triumphs at Strade Bianche and the Vuelta España Femenina, as well as second overall at the Tour de France Femmes behind Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. After a disappointing seventh place at the Rwanda Worlds, Vollering was keen to bounce back in the Drôme-Ardêche on Saturday.

“I didn’t feel my best at the World Championships, but I felt much better in the last week,” she said. “I knew something was coming. Sometimes you just know. I dreamt about it a lot the last week to be able to win here, and today it all went perfect.”

The FDJ-Suez rider will wear her European champion’s jersey for the first time on Tuesday at Tre Valli Varesine, which will be her final race of the season.