Vollering reveals special rainbow jersey ahead of European Championships

Demi Vollering has the opportunity to add another major title to a remarkable 2026 season at the European Championships in Slovenia on Saturday and she will race in a special version of the rainbow jersey. 

The Dutch rider has amassed a bucket-load of major victories this season, taking wins at Omloop Nieuwsblad, the Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and most recently becoming world champion last weekend in Montréal, Canada. 

Now, just days after becoming world champion, Vollering has the opportunity to defend her European title and will do so wearing the rainbow jersey for the first time.

Vollering completed her first training session in Slovenia ahead of Saturday’s showdown, wearing the rainbow jersey, though it was not the version of the kit she will wear over the coming 12 months. 

The European Championships are contested by national teams but the world champion is entitled to wear the rainbow jersey. However national teams have different sponsors to trade teams and so the Staatsloterij Dutch lottery brand features prominently on Vollering’s jersey for Saturday instead of her trade team sponsors FDJ United-Suez. 

This was also the case for Tadej Pogačar twelve months ago, before the Slovenian went on to win the European title in the rainbow jersey convincingly in Guilherand-Granges, France.  

Pogačar has been ruled out of defending his title on home soil after his season-ending crash at the Vuelta a España. 

However, Vollering will be aiming to continue the trend of rainbow success at the European Championships and become the first rider to defend the title in the women's elite road race.