"I definitely got a weird vibe from her" - Tour de France Femmes winner Niewiadoma on Demi Vollering and 'funeral vibe' at Alpe d'Huez

Katarzyna Niewiadoma was at the Rouleur Live show this week and has talked about, among other things, her triumph at the Tour de France Femmes and the moments that followed. A moment of celebration for her, but slightly tainted by the very dark atmosphere at the finish that came from a disappointed Demi Vollering who lost the race by only 4 seeconds.

"I could also feel this bitterness from Demi, from SD Worx, or Demi's fans. It felt weird in some ways because none of us crashed her. Crashes happen – nobody's angry at Remco [Evenepoel] for being third during the Tour de France because Roglic crashed," the Polish rider told Cyclingnews on the occasion.

The Tour de France Femmes had an ultra-dramatic finale at Alpe d'Huez, where Vollering entered already ahead of Niewiadoma, and the two had an almost time-trial head-to-head up the Alpine ascent, where the Pole managed to defend her yellow jersey by a mere 4 seconds. Only days prior, the Team SD-Worx ProTime rider lost almost two minutes after crashing in the yellow jersey and having very little team support which eventually cost her the win.

Niewiadoma, bring the victory for Canyon//SRAM, shares what happened immediately after the finale of the race: "I like barged in there... super happy, ready to celebrate. And there was a funeral vibe in there. I looked at the faces and I see Demi, no one is talking. And I'm like, 'Good job, girls. Congratulations on a hard stage'. And then, no response. I was like, 'OK, I'm leaving'. So, yeah, I got changed outside."

It most definitely wasn't the most cheerful environment for Vollering despite the stage win, but that was an understandable feeling after what had happened. However it left a mark in Niewiadoma who is open about how that was a very mixed moment.

"I think it's about how people handle it - I also think that it's all in some ways about life and how karma comes back to you. Annemiek crashed on the last stage of the first Tour de France edition and SD Worx was the team to ride full gas to drop her. No one remembers that because Annemiek actually chased us back and then she attacked us. I also do respect Demi, yet, I definitely got a weird vibe from her," she concluded.