Demi Vollering’s Tour de France Femmes took a dramatic turn in the final kilometres of stage 3, as the Dutch favourite was brought down in a high-speed crash just 3.6km from the finish in Angers. The incident, which occurred on a narrow right-hand bend shortly after a bridge crossing, left the FDJ-Suez leader shaken and in visible pain, though she was able to remount and finish the stage with help from her teammates.
After the stage, FDJ-Suez general manager Stephen Delcourt confirmed that Vollering was suffering from pain in her knee, glute and back. She was later taken to hospital for further examination. Speaking to the press, Delcourt said, “She’s completely shocked… we never know if it’s just the shock because she crashed or she needs time.”
Vollering did complete a brief session on the stationary trainer at the team bus after the stage, a gesture Delcourt described as positive. “She really insisted on the roller, that she is really positive. She wants to continue, but we just need time.” The team will wait until after a night’s rest and a full medical evaluation before deciding if she will take the start on stage 4.
The crash itself happened within the 5km to go safety zone, meaning Vollering did not lose time on the general classification. She remains 21 seconds behind Marianne Vos, who took over the yellow jersey again after finishing second in the sprint behind Lorena Wiebes. Vollering crossed the finish line between teammates Amber Kraak and Juliette Labous and was later seen talking with Ally Wollaston at the team bus.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Jennifer LindiniThe incident has sparked frustration within the FDJ-Suez camp, particularly from Delcourt, who pointed the finger not at the race organisers but at the attitude of certain riders and teams. “Today is the fault of the rider, it is not the fault of the ASO,” he said. “The mentalities of some teams are not normal. Really disrespectful. On that way, they play with life. Demi wants to stay in front, but they always cut her off.”
Delcourt also raised concerns about the behaviour of riders around the race motorbikes, calling on teams to respect their position for the safety of the peloton. “I’m so frustrated because Demi worked so hard for this. But the health of Demi is our priority. We won’t take unnecessary risks.”
Despite the heavy impact and pain in her left knee, ankle and back, the team remains hopeful she will be able to continue. “We want to respect the woman before the rider,” said Delcourt. “She just needs time, and we want to continue to be positive.”
Main photo credit: A.S.O./Pauline Ballet
