After a worrying crash in the finale of stage 3, Demi Vollering has been cleared to continue her Tour de France Femmes campaign following a second round of concussion protocol testing. The FDJ-Suez leader hit the ground hard late in Monday’s stage but has confirmed that she feels well enough to continue riding.
“I did hit my head, and it was a hard impact,” Vollering said at the start of stage 4. “But I slept well, and luckily it seems I don’t have a concussion.”
She admitted that her thoughts returned to the crash that derailed her 2024 Tour campaign. Last year, Vollering’s overall hopes were dashed after she fell in a flat stage and didn’t receive support from her teammates. This time, however, the response was very different.
“When I was on the ground, of course I thought back to last year,” she said. “But this time, the crash happened inside the final 5km, so I didn’t lose any time. My teammates were with me the whole time, and I’m very grateful to them.”
Her team confirmed that Vollering underwent further tests on Tuesday morning, ruling out any sign of a concussion. She started the fourth stage taped up and in visible discomfort but made it safely through the 118km route to Poitiers.
“This morning, my neck was really sore. I could barely hold my head up,” she said after the stage. “But I felt okay on the bike, and I didn’t have a headache. That gave me confidence.”
Stage 4 was another nervy sprint stage, with some crosswinds in the latter part of the day keeping the peloton on edge. Vollering’s FDJ-Suez squad ensured she stayed protected throughout.
“The team did a great job keeping me in the right position. There was a moment when someone hit me hard from the side, and I came to a full stop. But I didn’t go down and didn’t lose time, so I was lucky.”
With her general classification hopes still alive and the mountains approaching, Vollering is now turning her attention to what lies ahead.
“I think the shock has faded a bit now,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the battle.”
