Dominant Demi Vollering adds to classics collection after soloing to stunning Tour of Flanders victory
Updated 05/04/2026 at 18:01 GMT+1
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A stunning attack from Demi Vollering (FDJ United–Suez) with around 20km to go handed the Dutch star victory for the first time at the Tour of Flanders on Sunday. The 29-year-old brilliantly soloed to victory almost a minute ahead of Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) who finished second and third respectively.
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Demi Vollering (FDJ United–Suez) powered to victory with a solo breakaway to land a first Tour of Flanders title.
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) made up the rest of the podium, the French star able to out-sprint her rival to the line.
Defending champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) could only finish fourth.
Vollering made her move with just under 20km to go in what she called a "crazy" race, led onto the Oude Kwaremont climb by her team mate Franziska Koch before putting her foot down and riding clear up the cobbled slope.
No one could stay with her, not Ferrand-Prevot, not Pieterse and certainly not Kopecky who came into this one as favorite to defend her title.
"It was super hard. I just only thought 'I need to go as fast as possible'. And [I'm glad] the suffering is over as that was painful," Vollering said afterwards.
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Race winner Demi Vollering of Netherlands and Team FDJ United - SUEZ
Image credit: Getty Images
"I just tried to stay super focused, but I also had to [finish it] as the team did a super job again. You really need to enjoy the moment and give it your all."
From the moment Vollering broke free, she never looked like being caught, powering up the Paterberg - an incredibly short but steep cobbled section, before not putting a foot wrong on the technical run to the line.
Considering the calibre of the group that had ridden together to that decisive climb, Vollering’s performance was all the more impressive as she out-paced the likes of Ferrand-Prevot, Pieterse, Kopecky, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) and Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) with ease.
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Her maiden Tour of Flanders victory adds to her win in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, as Vollering showed her Spring Classics form is every bit as strong as her Grand Tour riding.
It was not to be for defending champion Kopecky, who looked in the mix until Vollering broke free, the Belgian unable to keep the wheel and chase for an historic fourth victory.
"The strongest [rider] won today, she was super strong. I had no answer to this attack," Kopecky said.
The women set off on the 164.1km route in the sunshine, with the first serious break forming quite quickly. The peloton were happy to let two groups of four go, which eventually whittled down to one break of six.
They had a lead of over six minutes at one point, but the peloton were never too concerned, and they were caught with just under 50km to go.
But it was also a day fraught with difficulties despite most of the rain holding off. There was a crash at the back of the bunch thanks to some road furniture getting in the way early on, to send jitters through the peloton.
Marlen Reusser (Movistar) took control at the front of the peloton up the Molenberg, a narrow, steep line of cobbles at 7%. That briefly looked like being a decisive move, but the peloton were awake to the danger and everything came back together on the flat.
Elise Chabbey (FDJ) was the next to show her hand, ploughing her way up the Eikenberg before Vollering pushed to the front on the steep cobbles. But it was cat and mouse, with all the favourites at the front, and no one really putting their foot down to try and escape - yet.
All of which left the bunch together heading to the Koppenberg - but sadly there was no more Reusser from that point on, the Frenchwoman involved in a nasty-looking crash in the bunch just before the climb. The team later said on social media a broken chain prevented her from continuing.
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FDJ United-Suez's Dutch rider Demi Vollering celebrates winning the women's race of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday
Image credit: Getty Images
Vollering made her first real move over the top of the Koppenberg, Koch leading her out as the peloton began to split. An initial group of nine big names formed, with a second group catching up to form one very elite bunch.
That group led over the Taaienberg together, but it was the Oude Kruisberg where the next move was made - Koch kicking on for Vollering, which initially split the group into just five lead riders.
But only Vollering and Ferrand-Prevot were willing to work and with little cooperation, a chase group caught back on to swell the number with 20km to go.
The Oude Kwaremont was where Vollering finally made her move, led onto the climb by Koch yet again who put in a number of big shifts, before the Dutch rider launched clear. Ferrand-Prevot tried hard to keep in touch, but just did not have the power to hold her wheel.
That left Vollering to ride to the finish and win by 42 seconds, with Ferrand-Prevot taking second for the second straight year.
"It was really difficult today as we had quite some headwinds, so if you take the front, you kill yourself," Vollering added.
"Sometimes people don't really see how important team mates are, but they make sure you come as fresh as possible to the final [climbs].
"I have dreamed of that moment [on the Kwaremont] so many times, I knew it would suit me, so I knew I just had to push without looking behind, until I finally turned off the cobbles and realised I'm alone. I just tried to stay calm in the storm.”
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