“You have to chase your dreams, no matter how hard and difficult it is” - Demi Vollering claims long-awaited Tour of Flanders victory with dominant solo

Demi Vollering delivered the defining performance of the 2026 Tour of Flanders Women, breaking clear on the Oude Kwaremont before riding solo to victory in Oudenaarde to secure the Monument that had long been missing from her palmares.

In a race that built gradually before exploding on the final sequence of climbs, the Dutch rider proved the strongest when it mattered most, turning a well-timed move into a decisive and controlled solo.

The winning move came on the Oude Kwaremont, where Vollering committed fully on the opening slopes and immediately created separation. “It went differently than expected, but in the end everything falls into place,” she said afterwards. “I’m so proud of everyone and really very grateful. I knew the Kwaremont suited me best. On the first section, I went all in. I wanted to go as hard as possible all the way to the finish.”

That acceleration proved decisive. One by one, her rivals were distanced on the cobbles, with Pauline Ferrand-Prevot the last to follow before losing contact, while Puck Pieterse was forced into a chase behind. From that moment, the race was no longer about selection, but about consolidation.

Once clear, Vollering extended her advantage across the Paterberg and the run-in to Oudenaarde, riding with control rather than panic as the gaps behind stabilised.

The chase was never fully organised. Pieterse and Ferrand-Prevot emerged as the closest pursuers but were unable to reduce the deficit, while the group behind, including Lotte Kopecky, was left fighting for the minor placings. With each kilometre, Vollering’s advantage grew, turning a strong attack into a dominant victory.

Despite the clear gap, the significance of the moment did not immediately register. “Only in the final two kilometres did I realise it,” she said. “In the end, it all happens in your head. It all starts with a dream. You have to chase your dreams, no matter how hard and difficult it is.”

That late realisation underlined both the focus required to win a race of this scale and the significance of the result itself.

After a performance built on patience, positioning and a decisive move on the Kwaremont, Vollering crossed the line alone in Oudenaarde to finally add the Tour of Flanders to her list of major victories.