Demi Vollering secures consecutive Vuelta victories, with Cédrine Kerbaol placing fourth overall in cycling's competition.
A Rain-Soaked Victory for Demi Vollering!
Under the pouring rain, Demi Vollering, the Dutch powerhouse, clinched her second Tour of Spain (La Vuelta Femenina) on a marathon 10.3km Asturian climb, Alto de Cotobello, snatching victory on Saturday, May 10th. With this triumph, she bagged her first Grand Tour win for FDJ-Suez, leaving her rivals in her wake.
Two days prior, Vollering had secured her red leader's jersey, marking her first high-altitude victory of the week. The towering recruit for FDJ-Suez in winter held off intense pressure from her adversaries, including her former Swiss teammate Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and compatriot Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively, in both the day's race and the overall tournament.
In a brave attempt to isolate Vollering, Van der Breggen charged ahead, setting the pace in the final climb. However, her tactic ultimately backfired, as Vollering managed to keep pace and counterattack in the final stretch, leaving her rivals behind. With this triumphant result, Vollering also bagged the best climber's jersey for the Vuelta.
Having already won the Tour of the Community of Valencia this year, Vollering will compete in the Tour of Catalonia early next month, ahead of the Tour de France Femmes (26 July-3 August). She aims to recapture her title, having narrowly lost last year to Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-Zondacrypto) by a mere 4 seconds.
The podium was not left empty for FDJ-Suez. Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) finished 4th, following the three frontrunners until the final push, two weeks after her Liège-Bastogne-Liège podium finish. Juliette Labous completed the top 5, while Evita Muzic managed a 10th-place finish.
With Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a bike) abandoning the Vuelta due to lack of form midway through, the French team looks set to shine in the upcoming Tour de France Femmes.
A Dutchwoman, Demi Vollering, who recently trie to isolate her opponents, is currently training for the Tour de France Femmes, having already accomplished a French team's victory in the Tour of Spain (La Vuelta Femenina) and bagging the best climber's jersey in the asturian region. Despite the French team's star player, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, having to withdraw from the Vuelta, other sports personnel like Cédrine Kerbaol and Juliette Labous, from FDJ-Suez, managed to secure top positions, leaving their rivals behind just like Vollering did on the Alto de Cotobello climb.
