Demi Vollering secured her second place in the overall classification and her polka dot jersey on the Super Planche des Belles Filles. Just like the day before, she was the only one who could compete with an unleashed Annemiek Van Vleuten. The 25-year old Dutch rider rode a hell of a Tour and looks back with satisfaction.
“I don’t quite realise yet that in the first ever Tour de France Femmes I won the mountain classification. My heartfelt gesture at the finish was for my fiancé Jan, who asked me to marry him the day before my reconnaissance here. And because I rode with my heart for the team and for Amy Pieters. I really suffered, but I told myself I had to do it for all the people who supported me. I am proud of my performance,” Demi Vollering said.
The Tour de France Femmes was sometimes a rollercoaster for Team SD Worx. The team took victory with Marlen Reusser in the spectacular ride over the gravel roads towards Bar-sur-Aube. Two days later, the Swiss rider had to abandon the race with a concussion after a crash. Chantal van den Broek-Blaak and Lotte Kopecky also crashed, but were able to continue. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio had to abandon the race after suffering from a viral infection. Still, the team coloured this Tour de France with a dominant style of racing.
Sports manager Danny Stam is proud of his team’s achievement. “This is a successful Tour de France Femmes for us. Only in the second stage we could beat ourselves up for missing the battle. Otherwise we were in the race for the prizes in almost every stage. We finished in the top three six times in eight stages and with the gravel stage we took one of the most beautiful stages of this Tour. In addition, we were the best team in three stages. Demi Vollering has put down a wonderful performance with her second place in the final classification and the polka dot jersey. She has made great strides in the past year. This promises for the future.”
The Tour de France Femmes was an enormous success. ASO organised it very well and the attention for the stage race was enormous. Team manager Erwin Janssen of Team SD Worx: “This Tour de France Femmes is a milestone for women’s cycling. It was unprecedented how much interest there was in women’s cycling. This Tour de France was publicity for the sport. With this, women’s cycling has taken a big step towards further professionalisation.”