"In the end we are also very happy with second place for Marlen Reusser" - Demi Vollering taking the positives despite time penalty at the Tour de France Femmes

Demi Vollering suffered a 20-second time penalty on stage 5 of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes, one that sees the Team SD Worx leader drop in the general classification. Nevertheless, Vollering is looking to stay positive.

"It was just a very tough stage and we didn't want to jump after everything. At a certain point Marlen Reusser just started riding a steady pace. But she's just such a good descender and she made a gap with Lianne Lippert in the descent. So we thought that was fine. It was great that she could sprint for second place," Vollering tells NOS in a post-stage interview.

"It was a great day for us," Vollering maintains. "We had hoped that we could bring Lotte Kopecky to the stage victory, but in the end we are also very happy with second place for Marlen," the 26-year-old analyses.

In another blow for Vollering and Team SD Worx as a whole, Lorena Wiebes was forced to leave the race during to illness. "That's a shame. She's just a nice girl to have around. She is always very motivated. In addition, it is nice to have a sprinter, then you always have a goal as a team in a flat stage," concludes Vollering.