Demi Vollering: "We tried everything, but Annemiek was the strongest"

Team SD Worx were active and present at yesterday's Liège-Bastogne-Liège, however they failed to come out with a win to their name after Annemiek van Vleuten dominated the race in the climbs.

Third place in the road and team's best placed rider Demi Vollering has talked about the disappointment that it was for the team to have barely missed on a great win: “I couldn't do it today. The team really did a great job and we tried everything, but Annemiek was the strongest. In the last races I was able to keep her wheel, but today she was super good and I felt like I was a little bit less. That's a few percent and then she rides away."

With Marlen Reusser in the day's breakaway, the team was in advantageous position heading into the final two decisive climbs. However, they were the ones to push the pace on Côte de la Redoute with Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, later to be attacked by Annemiek van Vleuten and still carry on the chase despite having the Swiss rider in front.

All this took a toll later on in the race when van Vleuten attacked on the final climb of the day, although Vollering points out that the collaboration in the chasing group wasn't ideal: “In the pursuit, Cavalli made a few weak turns. She was also a favorite today, so I thought she should work as well. She then did another turn, but then it was still a matter of waiting. You just don't have to wait, you have to race 100% at that moment.”

Together with her teammate Moolman Pasio, FDJ's Brown and Cavalli and Trek's Longo Borghini, the group wasn't able to bring back van Vleuten and had to fight for the minor podium spots. Vollering finished third whilst Moolman Pasio finished fourth.

“Some riders are still trying to save themselves for a podium place. For me, only the first place counts, although I can also be happy with a podium place. I wanted to win today, but Annemiek was by far the strongest. I have nothing to complain about. I was on the podium in almost every race and the team also had a very nice spring," she concluded.

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