“Kasia wasn’t really pulling through at first, but my position was more relaxed” – Demi Vollering plays tactical mind games with Niewiadoma in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad duel

Demi Vollering did not just win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad WE 2026 with strength on the Muur van Geraardsbergen. She won it with leverage.

Once the race fractured behind her and Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Vollering understood something her rival could not ignore: she had options. Niewiadoma did not.

“Kasia wasn’t really pulling through at first, but then she did take over. That’s also in her interest,” Vollering told Sporza after the finish. “I knew I still had three teammates in the chasing group. So my position was a bit more relaxed than Kasia’s. She understood what she had to do.”

It was the defining tactical layer of a finale that had already been shaped by crashes and decisive climbing.

Vollering’s victory had its foundations laid well before the Muur. “This feels good. It’s nice to finish it off,” she said. “It was also in line with my own expectations, but to actually do it makes me proud. The team rode very well all day. We had Elise in the break and Franziska did a great lead out on the Muur. I didn’t feel like I had to take the initiative myself. It was really perfect teamwork.”

FDJ United SUEZ had inserted Elise Chabbey into the late break over the Leberg, ensuring representation ahead of the chaos that would follow. When a mass crash split the peloton approaching the final climbs, numerical control shifted across the race. Lotte Kopecky was no longer in the decisive selection. Anna van der Breggen would later be distanced.

Vollering had support in front and security behind.

Even when the race did not unfold exactly as planned, she saw adaptability rather than panic. “But then you see that we’re understanding each other better and better on the bike. If something doesn’t go completely according to plan, we can switch. Everyone knows their role and can act on it. That’s great to see.”

The plan itself was clear. “The plan was to go full gas on the Muur. I just found a bit of space to launch my attack. We opened a small gap, and after that, I just rode as hard as I could. At the top, I saw that only Kasia could follow. After that, it was just full gas to the Bosberg and the finish.”

On the Muur, Vollering forced the selection. On the Bosberg, she tried again to distance Niewiadoma. When that failed, the psychological phase began.

With three FDJ teammates still present in the first chase group, Vollering did not need to panic if the pair hesitated. If the gap shrank, the race would reset on terms that favoured her. Niewiadoma, without that insurance, could not afford a stalemate.

At the foot of the Bosberg, the two exchanged words. Cooperation followed.

In the final kilometre, Vollering controlled the sprint with the same composure she had shown tactically. “I didn’t want to launch too early. The wind wasn’t ideal, and the finish dragged slightly uphill. I don’t need to go early, as long as I can start my sprint first.”

She did exactly that, launching inside the final 200 metres and holding Niewiadoma behind her on the rising run to the line in Ninove.

The victory marked Vollering’s first triumph at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and her third win of the season, but beyond the statistics, it underlined something else. This was not a rider reacting to events. It was a rider shaping them. “This is really a wonderful start to the season. I had a good feeling beforehand, but you still have to do it and stay healthy, with all the viruses around. That’s the most important thing, and so far that’s working out.”

Strength on the cobbles opened the door. Control over the situation closed it. On the Muur she attacked. On the Bosberg she calculated. In the sprint she finished it.

And in between, she made sure her rival understood exactly who held the stronger hand.