"Maybe the main attack will not be decided on the climb" - Niewiadoma hints at different approach as Vollering admits Wiebes could play role in European Championships
Cycling
The two top contenders for the European Championships have admitted that the elite women's road race may not entirely go their way on Saturday. With just two ascents of the day's definitive climb Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma know that some of the faster or more versatile riders could hang on and contest victory.
New world champion Vollering has the world's best sprinter in Lorena Wiebes in the line-up in Slovenia, but despite the team signalling the SD Worx rider is there to support Vollering, the 29-year-old admitted Wiebes' role could extend further should her and other contenders not get away from the contenders.
Flying back from Montreal this week, Vollering declared herself fit and ready as she bids to win her second European title in a row.
"Yes, of course. I mean, when you have a good form, you recover always quite quick. Luckily, it didn't take long to recover well," Vollering told CyclingProNet at the start.
"I did already some good training and I felt like I was still motivated to race in this jersey today here and to finish off maybe the job of my teammates again. We are very motivated with the whole team to make a beautiful race again."
Kasia Niewiadoma, Demi Vollering and Elisa Longo Borghini at the 2026 Montreal World Championships
Treating it like another race is the key for Vollering, who discussed Wiebes' chances of sticking with the rest and forming a second card for the Dutch team to play in the finale.
"It's just another race, you know, and you want to win again in a beautiful jersey like this. So, of course, we really want to take the jersey home with the Dutch team.
"You never know what Lorena can do... I mean, it's not the plan, but still, Lorena, she's such a strong rider. So, I think for the competitors, they still need to keep her in mind."
For Poland's Niewiadoma, recovery isn't necessarily a concern either as she too discussed the slightly less attritional parcours. Noting that she believes the versatile riders are in with a shout, she thinks that the winning move will come away from the climb itself.
Niewiadoma notes that many riders can withstand climb and course
"I feel like it's for everyone, you know, the fact that you have to deal with the jet lag, with the long travel, but yeah, everything other than that went smooth and easy," Niewiadoma said, also in an interview with CyclingProNet at the start.
"It's an interesting course because we don't have so many laps, so I do believe that there's a big amount of girls who can survive two climbs, which makes it even more interesting, because maybe the main attack will not be decided on the climb, but somewhere else."
Her route to victory? Being ready and willing to take whatever chance comes her way. She declared: "I think it's pretty simple, because it's about seizing every single opportunity and just going for it from the start."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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