"If you want a team that rides completely for you, Demi should indeed just leave" - Dutch commentator believes Demi Vollering needs to mature as a rider

While her victory-less spring has been quickly overwritten with a winning-streak in Spain, Demi Vollering still must have the failure at Classics somewhere in the back of her mind. With three stage races to her name in May, Vollering can view the upcoming months with some more optimism. After all, it also seem to be her final months with SD Worx - Protime after four years spent in the Dutch team.

Dutch commentator Roxane Knetemann, a guest editor at WielerRevue, analyzed her the National Champion's miserable spring: "Vollering once hinted in an interview that she would like someone to ride for her. But the whole point is that Vollering has to learn to race a bit more tactically. Lotte Kopecky can handle surplus situations like the best," said Knetemann about this spring's classics where Vollering came out empty-handed.

Read also

“Adam Yates is my right-hand man, while Ayuso and Almeida will be like luxury domestiques" Tadej Pogacar confirms UAE Team Emirates Tour de France lineup

In that respect, Vollering's impending transfer to FDJ - SUEZ is not surprising. "If you want a team that rides completely for you, Demi should indeed just leave. She is a super good rider who prefers to be dropped off at a certain point. Kopecky often ensures that she has already attacked, so that Vollering then has to keep her legs still."

With Marlen Reusser and the fast Lorena Wiebes, SD Worx - Protime naturally had plenty of options in many races. "They are all winners with a certain ego and cocky behavior. It is not bad at all for cycling if one of the three leaves the team," Knetemann believes.

Read also

Jonas Vingegaard and doping accusations; feud at INEOS between Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodríguez - New details emerge over 2023 Tour de France Netflix series

There used to be some sense of cooperation in the group - until the last year's World Championships in Glasgow, where Kopecky won the rainbow jersey ahead of Vollering. "That course in Glasgow was much more suited to Kopecky. But even there Vollering made so many mistakes at a tactical level. That really is her Achilles heel. I think Vollering is giving herself a bit of a Calimero complex. 'I'm small, they're big'," thinks Knetemann.

Read also

Medical Report and withdrawals Criterium du Dauphine 2024 - Update stage 3: Primoz Roglic crashes once again

PREVIEW | Criterium du Dauphine 2024 stage 4 - Evenepoel vs Roglic vs Ayuso vs Tarling on 34-kilometer time-trial