'An extraordinary athlete at the peak of her game' – Demi Vollering extends contract with FDJ United-SUEZ
European champion says she wants to 'keep building something far bigger than just victories'
On the eve of her Giro d’Italia Women bid, Demi Vollering announced she has extended her contract with French WorldTour team FDJ United-SUEZ.
The Dutchwoman, the top-ranked rider in the world, initially joined the team in advance of the 2025 season on a two-year deal, which was due to finish at the end of this season. She has now signed a “multi-year contract”, FDJ-United SUEZ said in a press release, with the duration reported to be two years by The Athletic.
Team manager Stephen Delcourt also hinted at the lucrative value of the deal to The Athletic, saying it marks the “best contract in the sport”.
“For me, everything starts with a dream,” Vollering said. “And right now, that dream feels bigger than ever – on the bike, and beyond it. I can’t wait for what lies ahead, and to keep building, together.”
Already a winner of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift during her four years with SD Worx-Protime, Vollering brought FDJ United-Suez’s first Grand Tour title last spring at the Vuelta Femenina, where she won by over a minute. It’s one of 18 victories she has collected since joining the team, a tally that has helped her become the best UCI-ranked rider in the women's peloton.
This season, the 29-year-old has won more than half of her 11 race days, including Omloop Nieuwsblad, the Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. She will start on Saturday as the favourite for victory at the Giro d’Italia Women – the only Grand Tour she is yet to win.
“Over the last year and a half I have been part of an environment where everybody can truly grow – not just as an athlete, but also as a person – and I am very proud of that. This environment has become home. I was more motivated to keep writing the next chapters of our story together,” Vollering said.
“I am driven to keep building something far bigger than just victories. We want to inspire a whole generation of girls and boys, and move our sport forward as a whole.
“I think about the young girls watching races today who might become the champions of tomorrow. That responsibility matters to me. I want to show them that you can compete at the highest level and still lead with your values.”
Also commenting in a press release, FDJ United-SUEZ team manager Delcourt described Vollering as an “extraordinary athlete at the peak of her game”.
“Demi is a woman who is changing our sport. Through her high standards, her sensitivity, her authenticity, and her way of bringing others along with her, she redefines what a modern leader is… She doesn’t just win races: she shows the way.”
