Vollering’s victory on Col d’Èze
Demi Vollering secured her second Tour de France Femmes title, becoming the first two-time winner of the race. The Dutch rider made a decisive move on the Col d’Èze, near Nice, to finish ahead of rival Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney by a margin of one minute and 18 seconds in the general classification. Vollering also claimed her third stage win in this year’s race on the final day.
The final stage, a 99.2km mountain course, began and concluded in Nice, featuring four ascents of the Col d’Èze and a total of 2,100m of climbing. Vollering’s performance on the Chemin du Vinaigrier saw her overtake breakaway rider Isabella Holmgren before pulling away from Niewiadoma-Phinney just 600 metres from the summit of the final climb.
This victory follows Vollering’s win on the penultimate stage, which allowed her to take the leader’s yellow jersey from Niewiadoma-Phinney with an eight-second advantage heading into the final day. Vollering expressed her delight, stating that winning in the yellow jersey and securing a second Tour de France Femmes title was a dream.
Tactics row overshadows race
Vollering’s overall success was set against a backdrop of a continuing dispute with Niewiadoma-Phinney regarding alleged “dirty” tactics. The controversy stems from an incident at the base of a crucial climb during Saturday’s stage from Sisteron to Nice, where Niewiadoma-Phinney accused Vollering’s teammate, Célia Gery, of blocking her path.
Niewiadoma-Phinney confronted Gery at the finish line on the Promenade des Anglais, alleging that Gery deliberately impeded her as she attempted to follow Vollering on the final climb. This led to Niewiadoma-Phinney stating she had “lost all respect” for Vollering’s team, FDJ United-Suez, if they did not compete with fair play.
Vollering responded to these accusations, referencing an incident from the 2024 race where she crashed while wearing the yellow jersey on stage five, and Niewiadoma-Phinney continued to ride, eventually winning that edition of the tour by four seconds. Vollering stated she had not forgotten that event and questioned Niewiadoma-Phinney’s stance on fair play given the past.
The debate continued into Sunday, with Vollering’s manager, Stephen Delcourt, calling for an apology from Niewiadoma-Phinney. Delcourt defended Gery, stating that the 20-year-old made a fast corner and did not intend to do anything wrong. Lars Boom, Vollering’s sports director, also noted that Gery was receiving abuse and death threats on social media.
Niewiadoma-Phinney maintained her position, stating that she knew “what’s right and what’s not” and that she had expressed her feelings. Her husband, former world champion Taylor Phinney, also weighed in on social media, describing Gery’s move as “dirty riding” and comparing it to tactics seen in a junior race.
Podium finishes and other incidents
Despite the controversy, Niewiadoma-Phinney secured a podium finish, her fifth in five years at the event. She finished second overall, one minute and 18 seconds behind Vollering. Elisa Longo Borghini from Italy achieved her first top-three finish in the race, placing third in the general classification.
The race also saw a significant incident involving Marlen Reusser, who had been third in the general classification. Reusser, winner of stage four’s time trial, fell on a right-hand bend while descending the Col d’Èze. Although she managed to finish the stage, the Swiss rider dropped to 14th in the overall standings.
The course design for this year’s Tour de France Femmes was noted for its challenging routes, including the first visit to Mont Ventoux in the women’s event since its re-incarnation as a stage race in 2022. This particular stage saw Niewiadoma-Phinney take the yellow jersey before the final stages.
Source: theguardian.com