Demi Vollering clinched her second Tour de France Femmes title, demonstrating her dominance with a critical attack on the final climbs near Nice. The Dutch cyclist finished 1 minute and 18 seconds ahead of her closest rival, Kasia Niewiadoma. Vollering made her decisive move on the Col d’Èze, breaking away from Niewiadoma with just 600 meters left on the ascent. Despite Niewiadoma’s repeated attempts to challenge her during the climbs, the 2024 champion couldn’t keep up with Vollering’s pace.
The victory for Vollering comes amidst a backdrop of tension between the two competitors over race tactics during the previous stage. Niewiadoma had accused Célia Gery, a team member of Vollering, of obstructing her during a crucial part of the race, leading to an ongoing dispute and criticism from Niewiadoma. However, the Polish rider later acknowledged Vollering’s formidable performance, expressing her desire for a fair competition.
Vollering emphasized that her triumph was a testament to her team’s rightful claim to victory based on their sporting performance. Despite the controversy, Niewiadoma secured second place overall, maintaining her impressive streak of podium finishes in recent editions of the Tour de France Femmes.
The final stage was also notable for a setback experienced by Marlen Reusser. The Swiss rider, who started the day in third place overall, suffered a crash while descending the Col d’Èze. This mishap led to her dropping to 14th in the general classification, marking a challenging conclusion to her race.