“I’m completely drained and now I want to go to sleep” – Vollering blames illness for Tour de Suisse defeat

Demi Vollering’s second place finish at the Tour de Suisse Women might look like a solid result on paper, but the Dutch rider left Switzerland with more questions than satisfaction. For someone who has dominated much of the 2025 season so far, including a commanding win at the Vuelta Femenina, her performance in the Swiss mountains marked a rare off day, and she suspects illness played a role.

“I didn’t feel well at all from the start of the race. Maybe it’s a virus or something,” she told Cycling Pro Net after being beaten by 30 seconds on the final day by Movistar's Marlen Reusser. “I’m completely drained and now I want to go to sleep. Give myself the chance to recover, apparently it’s been too much.”

The final stage saw Vollering drop significant time to Reusser, something rarely seen when she’s in peak form. Her comments afterwards made it clear the defeat wasn’t just tactical or physical, but physiological.

“I knew the blow was coming,” she said. “Every time I tried to put some power on the pedals, I struggled a lot. While I normally recover quickly.” Notably, she pointed out that her FDJ – Suez teammate and roommate Elise Chabbey was also unwell: “I think there might be a virus in my body, because my roommate Elise Chabbey also really suffered today.”

If it is a virus, the timing is unfortunate but manageable. With a month to go until the Tour de France Femmes, where she hopes to reclaim the yellow jersey she lost in 2024, there is still time to rest, recover, and reset. Vollering’s season has been front-loaded with dominant victories so far, and the sheer consistency of her performances in 2024 and 2025 may finally be catching up to her.

To put things into perspective, so far in 2025 she has won La Vuelta, Itzulia, Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, the Volta a Catalunya, and Strade Bianche. Clearly, she is comfortably the number 1 rider in the peloton.

“I can’t always be good,” she said. “I’ve won a lot this year, but the last few days I really went over the limit.”

That comment cuts to the heart of Vollering’s current challenge. While her upward trajectory since 2021 has made her one of the sport’s dominant forces, expectations now orbit around perfection. A second place in Suisse and a tired body prompt scrutiny, but also reveal her human side in a sport that demands so much.

Earlier this spring, Vollering looked unstoppable, and her climbing strength at the Vuelta signalled that she was once again simply on a different level to her rivals. But illness (or simply accumulated fatigue) can undo even the best laid plans.

Still, this was no capitulation. Vollering battled on despite feeling empty, and that speaks volumes about her mentality ahead of the Tour de France Femmes. The goal is clear, and this minor setback doesn’t change it.

The next few weeks will be about recovery. Her comments suggest a complete shutdown, not a tweak in training, and that could be the right call. Last year’s Tour showed how difficult it is to win when you're even slightly off; Vollering knows better than anyone the level required to take yellow.

The race in Switzerland may have ended with a loss, but Vollering leaves with valuable feedback, about her body, her limits, and what’s needed before the Tour. If this was an illness, it’s likely not a major issue. If it’s deeper fatigue, the next three weeks will be critical.

But she’s not panicking. “I did my best every day,” she said, and she does not think the virus will have an impact on the rest of her season.