“It should have been for Demi Vollering, but today it's for me” – Elise Chabbey stuns Strade Bianche Donne for biggest career win of FDJ star
Cycling
Victory on the white roads of Tuscany produced one of the most emotional moments of the early Women’s WorldTour season as Elise Chabbey surged to a surprise win at Strade Bianche Donne.
The Swiss rider crossed the finish line in Siena after a brutal race across the gravel sectors, delivering what she described as the biggest victory of her career for FDJ United - SUEZ.
Yet even in the immediate aftermath of the win, Chabbey admitted the magnitude of the moment had not fully sunk in.
“It's so many emotions, I think I cannot realise for now,” she said after the finish. “I think I will in the days. It's good I've got three weeks in altitude, I will have time to realise, and wow, it's just amazing.”
Race plan shifts after Vollering setback
FDJ had started the race with a clear plan built around team leader Demi Vollering, widely considered one of the pre-race favourites on the Tuscan gravel.
But that strategy was thrown into doubt during the race when Vollering encountered problems, forcing the team to adjust its approach. “We started with such a strong team, and we had really a plan,” Chabbey explained. “Demi is the best rider, then unfortunately she had a problem, and we were only Franzi and me.”
Alongside teammate Franziska Koch, Chabbey suddenly found herself fighting for victory instead.
The Swiss rider made clear how much the result meant to the team effort behind her performance. “It should have been for Demi, but today it's for me,” she said. “Everybody in this team is committed so much. The staff, my teammates, and we work really united.”
Vollering eventually came home in 20th
A race fought on the limit
Chabbey’s victory was far from straightforward. The Swiss rider had already spent much of the race on the limit as the gravel sectors gradually whittled down the peloton. “I did already some efforts before, I was in the break,” she said. “I was really on the limit so many times.”
At several points during the race she admitted the physical demands had pushed her close to giving up. “So many times in my head I was like, ‘I just want to give up’. But then I was like, no, for Demi that is behind and for all the work that my teammates made.”
That determination ultimately carried her all the way to the iconic Piazza del Campo finish in Siena. “I needed to go to the finish and see,” she added. “And I passed the line first and wow, I just cannot realise.”
Breakthrough moment in Siena
Strade Bianche has rapidly grown into one of the most prestigious one-day races in women’s cycling, and Chabbey was fully aware of the significance of winning on the Tuscan gravel. “I didn't even know I was the first Swiss,” she admitted. “But it's one of my preferred races, I really like this race.”
Facing a field packed with many of the sport’s biggest names made the result even more satisfying. “It was not just Elisa and me, it was so many good riders today,” she said. “On the start line, all the big riders were there.”
For Chabbey, the victory stands as a defining milestone in her career.
And even if the emotions had yet to fully settle in after the finish in Siena, the Swiss rider knew exactly what the moment represented. “I'm so proud I could do it for the team.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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