Demi Vollering won the Women's Tour de France for the second time Sunday, finishing the final stage in Nice with a dominant performance that left her nearest rival more than a minute behind, according to NPR.
Vollering, 29, had started the ninth and final stage with only an eight-second lead over Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion. She attacked about 800 meters from the top of the final climb and dropped her rival, extending her overall lead to 1 minute, 18 seconds by the finish.
She secured a stage win as well, finishing 1 minute, 4 seconds ahead of Spaniard Paula Blasi Cairol and Niewiadoma-Phinney. Former Giro d'Italia champion Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy finished third overall, 4 minutes and 29 seconds behind Vollering.
After crossing the finish line, Vollering raised her bike in the air. She tapped her head with her finger as she approached the line, a gesture signaling mental strength. Then, as the Dutch national anthem played on the podium, a tear ran down her face.
"It's not only the dream of winning the Tour de France. It's also the dream of living this life, of working hard along with passionate people," Vollering said. "It all starts with dreaming. Go chase the dreams and don't let anyone stop you."
She also reflected on the moment approaching the finish line: "I was thinking about a lot of things as I was approaching the finish line. I thought that I had never won in the yellow jersey before. I thought about how much work has gone into this victory. I thought about the people who have been behind me."
Two years ago, Vollering lost the Tour by four seconds to Niewiadoma-Phinney on the final stage. Sunday's victory was a direct reversal of that outcome.
The win is Vollering's fifth Grand Tour title. She has also claimed two Spanish Vuelta titles and the Giro d'Italia, secured in June. That combination makes her only the second female cyclist to have won all three Grand Tours, joining her Dutch compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten.
"I still have a lot of dreams," Vollering said. "On and off the bike."
