Demi Vollering claimed her second Tour de France Femmes title with a commanding performance on the final stages near Nice, distancing herself from her closest competitor, Kasia Niewiadoma, by 1 minute and 18 seconds. Vollering, hailing from the Netherlands, executed a strategic attack on the Col d’Èze, creating a gap from Niewiadoma during the last 600 meters of the ascent. Despite Niewiadoma’s persistent efforts to challenge her rival on the climbs, Vollering’s decisive move proved unmatchable.
The competition between Vollering and Niewiadoma was heightened by a tactical disagreement from the previous stage. Niewiadoma accused Célia Gery, a member of Vollering’s team, of hindering her progress during a critical point in Saturday’s race. This allegation stirred controversy and was a topic of discussion between the two contenders leading up to the final stage. Nonetheless, Niewiadoma recognized Vollering’s strength, commending her performance and expressing a desire for fair competition.
Vollering expressed that her triumph was a testament to her team’s rightful claim to victory based on their athletic prowess throughout the race. Niewiadoma, the winner of the 2024 edition, secured second place overall, maintaining her impressive streak of podium finishes in recent iterations of the Tour.
The race’s concluding stage also saw a setback for Marlen Reusser, who suffered a crash while descending the Col d’Èze. The Swiss cyclist, who had started the day in third place overall, saw her position plummet to 14th in the general classification as a result of the accident.