Demi Vollering has made her ambitions for 2026 crystal clear. Speaking on stage at the Grand Départ presentation with her FDJ United SUEZ teammates, the European champion said she wants to win the Tour de France Femmes with the team next August. It was a simple statement delivered with confidence and a clear sign of her intent as she enters her second season with the French WorldTour squad.
Vollering already knows what it takes to win the Tour, having claimed the yellow jersey in 2023, and she has finished on the podium in every edition since the race’s return. Her three runner-up finishes came behind Annemiek van Vleuten in 2022, Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney in 2024 and, most recently, Pauline Ferrand Prévot in 2025.
A strong foundation to build on
Her first year with FDJ United SUEZ showed the strength of the partnership. She won her opening race with the team at Setmana Valenciana, then took Strade Bianche in dominant style. From there, she added the overall at La Vuelta, followed by victories at Itzulia Women and the Volta a Catalunya. Her level never dipped throughout the spring and her consistency made her a permanent fixture at the front of every major race.
At the Tour de France Femmes, she pushed Ferrand Prévot all the way but could not match her rival in the toughest high mountain stages. Vollering still left the race satisfied, praising the team’s collective achievements after FDJ United SUEZ won the overall team classification and Elise Chabbey secured the mountains jersey.
“It was a beautiful season and we achieved some big goals together,” she said. “Strade Bianche was a major target and meant a lot because the whole team was part of that victory. Winning the Vuelta was also really important for us. And at the Tour, we took the team classification and the polka dot jersey with Elise. It was an amazing season for everyone.”
A stronger line up and a sharper mindset
FDJ United SUEZ heads into 2026 with renewed depth. The roster includes Juliette Labous, Évita Muzic and Chabbey, giving Vollering a powerful support structure for the biggest races of the year. She says she saw the team grow throughout 2025 and believes that momentum is carrying straight into the new season.
“We are all motivated for the season ahead. Last year we grew a lot together, and we’ve carried that motivation with us,” she said.
Vollering has also been candid about the races she did not win this year. Speaking to L’Équipe recently, she explained that every defeat fuels her determination for the next goals. Alongside the Tour de France, the World Championships are firmly in her plans for 2026.
“I’m a winner and there are always things to improve. Of course, I would have liked to succeed in more races, but that’s sport. Not always winning is what makes the victories more special when they come.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Thomas MaheuxThe road back to yellow
With four Tour podiums in four years, one overall victory already on her palmarès and one of the strongest squads in the WorldTour behind her, Vollering approaches 2026 with a single target: the yellow jersey.
She believes that FDJ United SUEZ is the team where she can make it happen. They believe it too. The challenge is clear, the ambition is public, and the pressure is fully embraced. Demi Vollering wants the Tour de France title back – and she intends to take it with her French team next summer.
