Demi Vollering solidified her status as a cycling powerhouse by securing her second Tour de France Femmes title, finishing one minute and 18 seconds ahead of her rival, 2024 champion Kasia Niewiadoma. The decisive move occurred on the Col d’Èze, overlooking Nice, where Vollering broke away to claim the final stage victory.
The race reached a climax on the narrow, winding Chemin du Vinaigrier. After overtaking breakaway rider Isabella Holmgren, Vollering and Niewiadoma engaged in a fierce head-to-head battle. Despite Niewiadoma’s aggressive efforts to replicate her performance on Mont Ventoux, she could not shake the Dutch rider. Vollering remained locked to her wheel on the 15% gradients before surging ahead with 600 meters remaining.
The triumph was overshadowed by a persistent dispute regarding tactics used during Saturday’s stage from Sisteron to Nice. The rivalry between the two cyclists dates back to the 2024 race, when Vollering crashed while in the yellow jersey and Niewiadoma continued to the finish, ultimately winning the general classification by four seconds.
Addressing the controversy, Vollering stated, “I have a lot of respect for Kasia,” but expressed disappointment over Niewiadoma’s post-race comments on Saturday, which she felt unfairly targeted her teammates. Vollering added, “I didn’t forget what she did when I was on the ground two years ago. So, if she’s speaking about fair play, then I think she’s not the one that can really say something about that. I find it sad that we attack each other like this after the finish line.”
The tension stemmed from an incident at the finish line on the Promenade des Anglais, where Niewiadoma confronted FDJ United-Suez rider Célia Gery, accusing her of blocking her path. Vollering’s manager, Stephen Delcourt, escalated the situation by demanding an apology, stating, “For the credibility of her sport, I prefer she apologises.” He defended Gery, noting that the 20-year-old was simply navigating the corner quickly.
Lars Boom, Vollering’s sports director, reported that Gery had been subjected to online abuse and death threats. He maintained that footage of the incident showed Gery left sufficient space. The friction was evident on the road as well, with the two riders seen arguing during the first of four ascents of the Col d’Èze, where Vollering wagged her finger at Niewiadoma.
Niewiadoma remained firm in her stance, telling reporters, “I’ve been racing for years. I know what’s right and what’s not. It’s not like I’m making things up.” She emphasized that her respect for Vollering’s performance remained intact, adding, “I just want to race fairly against her.” Her husband, former world champion Taylor Phinney, criticized the move on social media, labeling it “dirty riding” and comparing it to maneuvers seen in junior races rather than professional cycling.
The final day also brought misfortune for Swiss rider Marlen Reusser, who fell on a descent of the Col d’Èze. Despite the crash, she finished the stage, though she dropped from third to 14th in the general classification. Niewiadoma, meanwhile, secured her fifth podium finish in five years, noting that the experience only motivates her to return stronger.
Reflecting on her victory, Vollering sought to distance her win from the Saturday controversy. “I wanted to make it clear that we didn’t win because of an incident on Saturday,” she said. “I wanted to make it clear that we, as a team, deserved to win a beautiful Tour de France Femmes with humility and pride.” The report also notes that but it was not enough to dislodge Vollering, who remained glued to her back wheel on the 15% gradients, before fi, the Polish rider’s last-ditch attack saw her replicate the efforts she had made on Mont Ventoux on Friday. The report also notes that when Vollering crashed while wearing the yellow jersey on stage five, and Niewiadoma rode on to the finish, eventually winning the race overall by just fou, the pair have history and their spat goes back to the 2024 race. The report also notes that dutch cyclist finishes 1:18 clear of Kasia Niewiadoma.
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