"I was completely done with it" - Demi Vollering admits she almost opted to skip her fantastic 2026 campaign after "rough" year prior
CyclingSunday, 16 August 2026 at 09:00
Demi Vollering returned to the top of cycling world this season as she barely tasted defeat throughout 2026. She had won Tour de France Femmes, Giro d'Italia Women, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Flèche Wallonne, the Tour of Flanders, and more. And yet, she almost skipped this season altogether after the extreme strain of previous year.
"Last year I just overdid everything," said Vollering in an interview with The Athletic. "At a certain point, I was completely done with it. I had pushed my body way too far, and mentally I had perhaps gone a bit beyond my limits as well. After last year’s Tour de France, I even considered taking a year off because I wasn’t enjoying it at all anymore."
Vollering took a week off after that particular Tour, where she finished second behind Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. "But after that, I felt that I still hadn't recovered. That's why we decided as a team to skip the Tour de Romandie and take more rest. Instead of racing, I went to the mountains in the camper."
"I really love being in the mountains. I have always loved camping because you spend so much time outdoors. As soon as you wake up, you have your feet in the grass and spend the whole day outside exploring the surroundings. I think that is really great."
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This return to her roots turned out to have been just what the Dutchwoman needed to make a fresh start after the disappointing block. Six weeks later, she immediately appeared to be racing at much greater ease.
"After the camper trip, I went hiking and was truly offline for a while. Then I felt like getting back on the bike. I just cycled without goals or expectations. I was free," said Vollering, who would crown herself European champion after an altitude training camp.
"I became European champion and went into the off-season with a great feeling. I think that saved me. After that, the question of whether I would take a year off was actually no longer an issue at all."
Carrying on that newly-discovered freshness, Vollering entered the 2026 season like a hurricane. Her record is outstanding; in 29 race days, she collected 14 victories. That's a record only Tadej Pogacar can rival at 19 victories in 37 race days in the men's peloton.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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