“She told me she needed a moment to recover” - Antonia Niedermaier reveals crucial Demi Vollering exchange as Giro d’Italia Women title fight turns upside down
Cycling
The final stage of the Giro d’Italia Women was billed as a Dutch showdown: Anna van der Breggen trying to defend pink, Demi Vollering searching for one last way to rip it away. Then Antonia Niedermaier turned the race into something even more dangerous.
The Canyon//SRAM rider attacked on the road to Saluzzo, linked up with Elisa Longo Borghini and Niamh Fisher-Black, and spent a long spell as the virtual race leader. Vollering eventually overturned the Giro in her own favour, but Niedermaier’s ride changed the shape of the final stage and secured her second overall.
It was the biggest result yet in a Grand Tour career that now looks ready for far more. Niedermaier had already moved into the podium fight after the Stage 4 uphill time trial and strengthened her position through the mountains. On the final day, she stopped defending a place and went after the race itself.
Niedermaier turns final stage into GC thriller
Van der Breggen began the day in pink, with Vollering as the obvious threat at 49 seconds. Niedermaier started third overall, still close enough at 1:20 to become dangerous if the two Dutch rivals watched each other for too long.
That is exactly how the race opened up. After the Montoso and before the final climb, Niedermaier went clear and was joined by Longo Borghini and Fisher-Black. Behind them, Van der Breggen and Vollering were locked into a tactical battle that gave the front group space to build a serious lead.
For a long period, Niedermaier was not simply riding for the podium. She was riding as the virtual Maglia Rosa. “I tried everything I could and I’m pretty happy with the result,” Niedermaier said in her post-stage flash interview. “We played it well, and it was a great Giro.”
The 22-year-old later explained that the decisive move formed almost by instinct after a brief lull in the favourites group. “After the descent, we just kind of sat up,” she said. “We all tried to attack, and somehow I was suddenly alone at the front. Elisa came across, together with Niamh. We were three for a long time, then Demi joined. For us, that was a good scenario.”
Vollering joins as Giro dream fades
Niedermaier’s chance of pink began to fade when Vollering attacked Van der Breggen on the Colletta di Brondello and bridged across alone. Once the FDJ United - SUEZ leader reached the front group, the balance of the Giro shifted again.
Vollering had dropped Van der Breggen and was on her way to completing a stunning final-stage turnaround. Niedermaier’s own path to overall victory narrowed, but second place was suddenly within reach. “She told me she needed a moment to recover and then could work with us,” Niedermaier said of the conversation after Vollering made contact.
From there, the leading group drove towards Saluzzo with the overall race changing behind them. Longo Borghini still had the legs to win the stage, sprinting ahead of Fisher-Black, Niedermaier and Vollering, while Van der Breggen slipped from pink to third overall.
Niedermaier did not contest the sprint as if the stage was her biggest prize. The greater achievement was already secure. “I actually already knew that Elisa would win the stage,” she said. “She was super strong today, and she deserved it.”
Germany has a new Grand Tour contender
Niedermaier finished the Giro second overall, 34 seconds behind Vollering and more than a minute ahead of Van der Breggen. On a day shaped by tactical risk, hesitation and one of the biggest GC swings of the season, she was the rider who first put the race into chaos. “It means a lot to me, especially because I fought so long for this podium,” she said.
The final stage will be remembered for Vollering completing her Grand Tour triple crown and Van der Breggen losing pink, but Niedermaier’s ride deserves its own place in the story. She did not wait for the Dutch favourites to decide the Giro between themselves. She attacked, forced the issue and briefly put the whole race within reach.
For German cycling, this was more than a podium finish. Niedermaier left the Giro as a genuine Grand Tour contender.
Read also
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 4visitors 4
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
- dude, Lemond never even was in the same race as Armstrong. He throws all these aspersions on other American riders who might usurp his throne as the greatest ever American racer. He doesn't say a single thing about (foreign) dopers who he actually raced against. Biggest douchebag move ever. I used to revere that guy, now I despise him. His actions are so weird.fatsupermodel02-11-2026
- This is just stupid, You do what you are good at not what you are weak at. He has no results to speak of when he participated. Even Froome, Conatdor had very little. With Pogi there he wont win none of the classics. he is already 30+ with a few years left at the top. It takes years to get good at classics. Is that really worth the effort???abstractengineer02-11-2026
- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
- You'll be the ongoing joke of 2027 with anything you post here!frieders302-11-2026
- Awwww your inside information must be from PogiFanGirl. You two daughters of different mothers?frieders302-11-2026
- Hey PogIFanGirl...wipe that cream from your lips! You're ever loving drooling and whatever you have for Tadej has your brain fried!frieders302-11-2026
- Why should he 'let it go' ! Because you said so? Anytime LA Doper is called out is a win win !frieders302-11-2026
- Geez LeMond...let it go. You're a has been, albeit a former great one. But this is all water under the bridge and just undermines your legacy further.Mshark01-11-2026
- 'The Slovenian has collected four Tour de France titles' ... '[Kieran Wood's] ... reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis'. i would say that is pretty inaccurate accurate coverage, kieran wood ... too bad that AI's knowledge often lags several months behind ... but proof reading is certainly part of accurate coverage, isn't it? but fortunately does Kieran Wood place 'strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.' i would say the fifth tdf title is pretty new (and even verified) information, so feel free to update this article.Ketterechts01-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment