Demi Vollering has taken her first win in almost four months today, but it was a big one. Before the end of the season, the Dutch rider still managed to show her best level and rode to victory today at the
European Championships.
The breakaway of the day was formed by Carina Schrempf, Nora Jencusova and Christina Brag Lorenzen, a group that didn't play much of a role in the outcome of the race but led throughout many kilometers. On the climb to Saint Romain de Lerps the group was caught whilst the Netherlands began to push the pace hard with Pauliena Rooijakkers, breaking the group quite a lot before Demi Vollering launched her first attack.
A first move with 38 kilometers saw Elisa Longo Borghini,
Katarzyna Niewiadoma and
Anna van der Breggen following her. But shortly after, the leader of the Dutch team was able to attack from the back of the group and created the winning gap. Longo Borghini tried following but later cracked, not even being able to follow the chasing Niewiadoma and van der Breggen who constantly followed her wheel in the final kilometers of the race.
Vollering however was on a perfect day, and took one of the biggest victories of her career, taking the European Championships title, out of the shoulders of her former teammate Lorena Wiebes. Despite having worked the entirety of the final kilometers, Niewiadoma rode to second place on the day, although it seemed as if van der Breggen did not try and go through her rival for the silver medal.