"One thing is for sure: we fought all day" - Demi Vollering and Netherlands bring great legs but take no medal after Zurich tactical blunder

Entering the final lap of the Zurich World Championships today in the women's event, a group of four had two strong Dutch riders in front and Demi Vollering behind. 25 kilometers later the Netherlands emerged from the race without a single medal after questionable tactics.

The first questions to Demi Vollering after the finish line were indeed about her own tactics. “It is a bit difficult to analyze now. It is so cold and I do not really know what to think and feel at the moment." On the main climb of the day, her pacing dropped Marianne Vos. And then in the final kilometers one of her attacks dropped her compatriot again - reminiscent of Jarno Widar's situation this past Friday.

Vollering stood no chance in a sprint whilst Vos did, but the Dutchwoman often pushed to try and go clear. She couldn't, and then additionally covered and chased most of the attacks in the final kilometers whilst not standing a chance at least against Lotte Kopecky - who would end up winning the title. "One thing is for sure: we fought all day. In the end, the final was not difficult enough to really get away," she says.

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Vollering had planned to attack hard the final climb, she admits: “It was a shame that I could not really do anything on the last [final] climb. We had Marianne [Vos] and Riejanne [Markus] in front. So it was not up to me. That was a shame, because the pace was a bit too low and it was too easy on the climb".

The attack from Elisa Longo Borghini did however do a lot of damage and Lotte Kopecky was dropped for several minutes. But in the tactical finale a few riders in the front group wouldn't work and that's what led to the demise of the attack.

“You can always say afterwards: if only we had done it like this or that. That's always difficult to say.” In the end, the SD Worx rider finished fifth in a group of six.

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Mihai Simion

@faustocoppi60

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LAST 10 KM. Demi Vollering attacks and drops again Vos! LOL #Zurich2024

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