Dutchwoman Demi Vollering on Sunday succeeded compatriot and great rival Annemiek van Vleuten to win the second edition of the Women’s Tour de France in Pau.
To cement her status as world No. 1, all that was missing from the 26-year-old’s trophy haul was a victory in a grand tour.
On Sunday, she achieved that after finishing second in the final stage time trial behind Marlen Reusser of Switzerland to claim “the most beautiful success” of her career.
Photo: AFP
The Team SD Worx leader finished the eight-stage race over three minutes ahead of Belgian teammate Lotte Kopecky and Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Canyon-SRAM.
Van Vleuten, 40, competing in her final season, finished off the podium nearly four minutes adrift of the winner.
“Of course I worked a lot to achieve this result,” Vollering said. “But this success is the result of a good personal balance thanks to a great entourage in particular.”
It was her 15th victory this year after dominating the spring classics, with a hat-trick in the Ardennes — Fleche Wallonne, Liege and Amstel — that only compatriot Anna van der Breggen had achieved before her.
However, the former speedskater’s week was not easy.
She said she had been “very tense” in the early stages and was furious after being penalized 20 seconds for an extended shelter behind her team’s car during the fifth stage, which dropped her from overall second to seventh.
On Saturday, Vollering powered through the mountain-top fog to win the most demanding stage and grab the leader’s yellow jersey and a 1 minute, 50 second advantage on Niewiadoma heading into the final day.
She extended that lead on Sunday to take revenge on Van Vleuten who had beaten her last year just as she had done by just nine seconds in the spring at the women’s Vuelta.
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