Vollering: Riders like Ferrand-Prévot 'pushes me to be better'

Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) ended her 2025 season in style, winning the European Championships with a long-range solo effort before narrowly missing out to Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) at the Tre Valli Varesine Women’s a few days later. 

Speaking toL’Equipe, the European Champion gave a positive assessment of her campaign as a whole and revealed her positive state of mind.

“I feel good. I was very excited to be home these last two days; it gave me a lot of energy; I didn't feel exhausted... Probably also because the last part of the season went better for me,” said Vollering to L’Equipe.

Vollering secured her first European road race title with a 37km solo effort, adding to big victories such as Strade Bianche Donne and the Vuelta España Femenina. 

Whilst these victories are of huge significance and form a season that Vollering is proud of, the European Champion admitted her 2nd place finish at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and 7th at the World Championships have fuelled her motivation to improve in 2026.

"I think that even if I hadn't been European champion, counting the Strade, the Vuelta, all my podium finishes, it would have been a superb season," said Vollering. 

"Of course, I'm a winner; there are always things to improve. So obviously, the Tour and the World Championships are still on my mind; I would have liked to have succeeded."

Vollering's late-season success at the European Championships came after a challenging period at Worlds. "I had done a very good training block just before the World Championships, but I didn't feel great. The conditions there were unusual, and my menstrual cycle bothered me a little at that time... It wasn't perfect, but I think all the training during the camp in Livigno finally paid off at the European Championships."

Looking ahead, Vollering is already excited about her second season with FDJ-Suez, after her debut season following four years at SD-Worx. “It'll be easier because this will be my second year on this team; it was new for everyone to work for me... We'll all know each other much better, which will help. I really feel like I belong."

Having finished a comfortable second to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) at the Tour de France Femmes, Vollering insisted that she thrives off competition and embraces the challenge. "Basically, any strong rider pushes me to be better, to progress. So it's definitely a good thing,” said Vollering.

Vollering also praised her young French teammate Célia Gery (FDJ-Suez), who won the under-23 road race World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, further cementing her potential as a star of the future.

"I've never raced with her yet, but I hope I will in the future. She's incredible; from the moment she's on a bike, she's a killer. I love that kind of mindset. Seeing her move through the peloton, the way she reads races, it's cool... She's super talented."