Demi Vollering claimed her second Tour de France Femmes title after launching a decisive attack on the final climbs near Nice, ultimately crossing the finish line 1 minute and 18 seconds ahead of Kasia Niewiadoma. Vollering, hailing from the Netherlands, made her winning move on the Col d’Èze, breaking away from her rival Niewiadoma with just 600 meters left on the last ascent. Despite Niewiadoma’s persistent attempts to gain an advantage during the climbs, the 2024 champion was unable to shake off Vollering’s pursuit.
The victory for Vollering was overshadowed by an ongoing dispute between her and Niewiadoma over race tactics from the stage on Saturday. Niewiadoma had accused Célia Gery, a member of Vollering’s team, of obstructing her during a critical section of the race, an incident that drew criticism and fueled discussions between the competitors leading up to the final stage. However, despite the controversy, Niewiadoma acknowledged Vollering’s prowess, conceding that the Dutch rider’s performance was exceptionally strong and expressing her desire to maintain fair competition.
Vollering expressed that she hoped her win would demonstrate her team’s merit in earning the championship through their sporting abilities. Niewiadoma’s second-place finish continues her impressive record of podium placements in recent editions of the Tour, underscoring her consistent performance in the competition.
The final stage also presented challenges for Marlen Reusser, who experienced a crash while descending the Col d’Èze. The Swiss rider, who started the day third overall in the general classification, saw her standings drop to 14th after the unfortunate incident, marking a difficult end to her campaign.
