Demi Vollering clinched her second Tour de France Femmes title after executing a strategic attack on the final climbs near Nice, finishing 1 minute and 18 seconds ahead of competitor Kasia Niewiadoma. The decisive moment unfolded on the Col d’Èze, where the Dutch cyclist broke away from Niewiadoma with about 600 meters left on the final ascent. Despite multiple attempts by Niewiadoma, the 2024 champion, to dislodge her rival during the climbs, Vollering maintained her lead.
The victory was shadowed by an ongoing dispute between Vollering and Niewiadoma regarding race tactics in the previous Saturday’s stage. Niewiadoma accused Célia Gery, a teammate of Vollering, of blocking her during a crucial part of the race, which led to a flurry of criticism and ongoing dialogue between the competitors leading into the final stage. Nevertheless, Niewiadoma praised Vollering’s strong performance, expressing her desire for a fair competition.
Vollering emphasized that her triumph should highlight her team’s deserved win based on their sporting capabilities. Niewiadoma secured second place overall, extending her impressive record of podium finishes in recent editions of the Tour de France Femmes.
The final stage also proved challenging for Marlen Reusser, who suffered a crash while descending the Col d’Èze. The Swiss cyclist, who started the day in third place overall, experienced a significant setback, falling to 14th in the general classification as a result of the incident.