“This is a great day and a new step for the team” - FDJ-SUEZ react to Demi Vollering signing

Earlier this week, FDJ-SUEZ announced a game-changing addition to their roster: Demi Vollering, the 2023 Tour de France Femmes champion, has signed a two-year contract with the team, beginning in 2025 and lasting through 2026. This signing marks a significant step for the French-based team, as Vollering’s arrival is poised to strengthen their competitive edge in the women’s peloton. In a video posted to social media, the team introduced Vollering in their signature blue, white, and red jersey, underscoring the importance of this acquisition.

“This is a great day and a new step for the team,” said FDJ-SUEZ general manager Stephen Delcourt in a press release. “Demi is an immense champion, and we can’t wait to work on her development and see her compete in the team’s blue, white, and red jersey. With our sponsors, FDJ and SUEZ, as well as our historical partners, we have been working for several years to build a competitive world team on a healthy and stable foundation. Let’s ride.”

Vollering’s 2023 Tour de France Femmes victory showcased her strength and resilience, though her title defence in 2024 was marred by a crash on stage 5, where she was leading the race but ultimately lost out to Katarzyna Niewiadoma. Now, as a part of FDJ-SUEZ, Vollering will join forces with Évita Muzic and new signing Juliette Labous as co-leaders, forming a formidable lineup.

In an interview with Cyclingnews, Delcourt spoke to the broader impact of Vollering’s signing, especially for French cycling. “It is important to remember that it is a great day for the FDJ-SUEZ team, and it’s a great day for cycling, and for French cycling, to be honest, to sign the best rider for the GC in a French team.

“We can compare the model of cycling, between men’s and women’s cycling, but it is the first time that a star rider has accepted a deal with the French team,” Delcourt remarked. He continued, “This has been an ambition for our team, and during the last three years, and three editions of the Tour de France, our sport has changed a lot. This new ambition for our team is to be not just a team in women’s cycling but to be a cycling and sport team in general. For this image, it’s impossible to dream bigger than to sign Demi now.”

While Vollering’s contract details remain private, Delcourt clarified that it does not reach the rumoured €1 million figure. “Maybe it was true, but not from my team, maybe from the others. I can’t say for the others. We know that anything is possible for a team like UAE.”

With Vollering now signed, FDJ-SUEZ is primed for an exciting new chapter, aiming not only to dominate in women’s cycling but also to uplift the entire French cycling scene.