Demi Vollering seals Vuelta Femenina overall with solo victory on stage eight
SD Worx-Protime rider wins eight-day race by almost two minutes
Tour de France Femmes champion Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) added a second Grand Tour victory to her palmarès on Sunday, triumphing at the Vuelta Femenina.
The Dutchwoman, who already led by 52 seconds going into the eighth and final stage, attacked with 6km to go on the finishing climb, and soloed to a second stage win. Her climbing heroics meant she dominated the general classification, securing the red jersey by one minute and 49 seconds.
Riejanne Markus (Visma-Lease a Bike) finished second overall, overtaking Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek), who closed out the podium in third.
Vollering's victory comes a year after she ended the Vuelta Femenina in tears, having come agonisingly close to the title in 2023, when she lost out to the now retired Annemiek van Vleuten by just nine seconds.
The scene this time round was a world apart. After weaving across the road smiling, Vollering stepped off her bike after the line in Madrid, and lifted it above her head, champion at last.
"It's really nice," the 27-year-old said post-race. "The team did a really good job all day. I was a bit nervous because I thought this last climb was not so super hard. It's difficult because it was again a headwind and it was not super steep.
"There was one part where we turned a bit," she continued. "There, I thought I needed to attack and have a gap so that the rest will also have a headwind to chase me back."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
When Vollering upped the tempo, nobody else could follow. As she did on stage five – when she took her first victory of the season – the Dutchwoman sailed clear of her rivals, crossing the line alone. Behind, stage six's winner Évita Muzic (FDJ-Suez) came home with Markus 30 seconds later.
"I'm really happy to win this stage," Vollering said. "It's really nice to finish off like this. We did a really good tour here: some podiums, two stage wins. I think we can be really proud of ourselves."
Asked what the victory meant to her, the Tour de France Femmes champion said it marked a "good start" to her season. "I hope I can do some other really nice stage races, of course," she said. "I'm looking very much forward to the rest of the season."
Vollering also sealed the mountains classification, as the race's best climber. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), winner of two stages, wrapped up the points classification, while Mireia Benito (AG Insurance-Soudal) was declared the most combative rider.
Results
Vuelta Femenina 2024, stage eight: Districo telefónica Madrid > Valdesquí (89.5km)
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, in 2-43-06
2. Évita Muzic (Fra) FDJ-Suez, +29s
3. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, +33s
4. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck, +53s
5. Ricarda Bauernfiend (Ger) Canyon-SRAM, +56s
6. Juliette Labous (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL, +1-00
7. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek
8. Antonia Niedermaier (Ger) Canyon-Sram, both at same time
9. Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck, +1-10
10. Kim Cadzow (NZl) EF Education-Cannondale, +1-28
Final general classification
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, in 20-30-55
2. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, +1-49
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek, +2-00
4. Juliette Labous (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL, +2-58
5. Évita Muzic (Fra) FDJ-Suez, +3-15
6. Ricarda Bauernfiend (Ger) Canyon-SRAM, +4-33
7. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZl) SD Worx-Protime, +5-14
8. Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck, +5-27
9. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck, +5-42
10. Kim Cadzow (NZl) EF Education-Cannondale, +6-19
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast, which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders.
An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides.
-
I'm about to turn 40 - how can I keep riding fast?
Approaching a landmark birthday, Charlie Graham-Dixon explores how ageing affects cycling performance and what can be done to stay ahead of the curve
By Charlie Graham-Dixon Published
-
Life Time Grand Prix to have fewer riders and wild cards in 2025
The flagship US gravel series has confirmed the six races that will be a part of the competition next year
By Adam Becket Published
-
'Everyone wants to win, sometimes that means everyone wants to lose' - Dutch attack, attack, and attack, but end up with fifth after confusing World Championships road race
Demi Vollering staked everything on trying to win the rainbow bands, but it wasn't to be. Was there a better way?
By Adam Becket Published
-
Demi Vollering wins third stage in four days at Tour de Suisse to win overall
Dutchwoman takes her fourth Women's WorldTour stage race in a row, proving her dominance
By Adam Becket Published
-
Marianne Vos wins uphill sprint on stage 7 of La Vuelta Femenina after crosswinds split the race
Visma-Lease a Bike rider takes her second stage win of the race to seal points classification victory
By Joseph Lycett Published
-
Évita Muzic outsprints Demi Vollering on summit finish to win Vuelta Femenina stage six
Vollering strengthens overall race lead, but fails to take second stage win in a row
By Adam Becket Published
-
Demi Vollering climbs to first victory of the season on stage 5 of the Vuelta Femenina
Dutchwoman distances rivals on first summit finish of race to take leader's jersey
By Adam Becket Published
-
Kristen Faulkner springs late attack to win stage 4 of the Vuelta Femenina
Marianne Vos takes race lead on wind-stricken day across the plains of Spain
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Marianne Vos powers to stage three Vuelta Femenina victory, Blanka Vas keeps race lead
Vos jumps clear of Charlotte Kool to seal the win for Visma-Lease a