"She has a lot to learn about tactics": Dutch ex-pro advices Demi Vollering to work on her weakness
Cycling
Few riders in women's cycling are as criticized as Demi Vollering. It has only taken one "regular" year of the FDJ - Suez superstar for the Dutchwoman to be practically always in the negative spotlight of "experts" and analysts. The latest to speak out was Jip van den Bos, although he was more muted in his comments.
Earlier this week, during the Wielergala in Utrecht, the cyclist stated that Vollering should not be judged solely on her performance in the Tour de France Femmes. There, Demi clearly lost to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the best cyclist of the season. However, she did not stop there, as she criticized that the European champion needs to improve in one aspect.
"You can't say at all that Demi Vollering has had a bad year. I think she wins every Spanish stage race she races. Itzulia, Catalunya, Valencia, the Vuelta.... And she comes second in the Tour," she began by pointing out.
"She didn't ride a bad Tour de France. She wasn't as good as Ferrand-Prévot, but it was a solid Tour. Plus, she was European champion. Of course I would prefer to win the World Championships and the Tour, but it wasn't a bad year," she added before focusing on the downside.
Lack of tactics
Van den Bos allowed herself to give Demi Vollering some advice, after praising a year that fell short of expectations, but which was not bad and was rounded off with the aforementioned European Championships:
"I think there's a lot to learn tactically for her. And I think it's interesting for her to look back. Especially looking at how she raced in the Tour, she could have made different tactical decisions that would have given her more wins."
Demi Vollering was defeated by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in the 2025 Tour de France Femmes
"For example, the final stage, which Ferrand-Prévot wins. Vollering attacks the final climb, knowing that she is the weakest uphill rider. Basically, she's giving the red carpet to Ferrand-Prévot to attack again and leave everyone behind. Whereas Vollering was probably the fastest in the sprint," she concluded.
Whether she is right or wrong, Demi Vollering is a cyclist who aspires every year to win the Women's Tour de France. In 2025 it could not be, but what is certain is that in 2026 she will be back with everything to regain the lost throne.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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