"During the race, I hit a breaking point" - Demi Vollering opens up about chaotic days at 2024 Tour de France Femmes

Demi Vollering's 2024 Tour de France Femmes is a story that will last for the ages, and the truth is that although there were no personal attacks, there were several revelations since the end of the race. The now FDJ - Suez rider has opened up about her psychological difficulties in the final days of the race.

"An untold story. This was one of the toughest days of my career. Physically, I was still recovering from a crash 2 days earlier, Mentally, I was weighed down by pressure—from the media, my team, my loved ones, and from myself. Everyone kept asking how I was feeling, and while I tried to stay positive, inside I was scared and uncertain," the Dutchwoman wrote in an Instagram post, referring to stage 7 of the race which finished at Le Grand-Bornand.  

"During the race, I hit a breaking point. It’s hard to describe what it felt like, but anxiety took over, and my thoughts spiraled. I couldn’t focus. I felt like I was letting everyone down. For the first time, I couldn’t just power through it alone."

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Vollering crashed on stage 5 and the controversy that followed cost her the race. Blanka Kata Vas (the eventual stage winner) and Lorena Wiebes stayed in the peloton to fight for the stage win, despite Vollering being the main favourite to win the race and having the yellow jersey at the time. Further team support would've actually made the difference, as she was isolated on flat roads against a peloton, and the time she lost was then not recovered at the end by the smallest of margins.

Two days after the fall, in which she had a fracture in her tailbone, she admits to experience overwhelming anxiety. "That’s when I opened up to my teammate. Even though I couldn’t fully explain what I was feeling, just saying “I’m not okay” helped ease the weight I was carrying. Mischa [Bredewold] didn’t try to fix it or brush it off; she simply stayed with me, reminding me that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and that I wasn’t alone.

"That day, I realized how important it is to talk about what we’re going through. Anxiety can make you feel stuck and isolated, but sharing your feelings—even when it’s hard—can be the first step toward relief". Her relationship with the team did not improve in 2024, and the internal rivalry with Lotte Kopecky was certainly a key factor in her departure for the French team.

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But on stage 7, where she finished third on the day alongside Niewiadoma, she continues: "I also want to share something personal that many women might relate to: later that day, I got my period. Hormones can amplify emotions, and with the pressure I was already feeling, it was a lot to handle. It’s a reminder that our bodies and minds are deeply connected, and sometimes, things are just beyond our control.

"Looking back, I realize this was one of my biggest wins—not just because I finished 3rd, but because I overcame one of the hardest moments I’ve faced. For me, this might have been my most meaningful personal victory in the entire Tour de France Femmes"

The day after Vollering would go on to win the queen stage up to Alpe d'Huez, but the time she would take from Katarzyna Niewiadoma was not enough and she ended up missing out on the overall win by a mere 4 seconds.

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