Vollering and Pieterse alliance falls flat in ‘weird’ Milan-Sanremo: "Now I get Pogacar’s frustration"
CyclingSaturday, 22 March 2025 at 16:10
“Next time we need to play it better tactically,” they shouted to each other. Demi Vollering and Puck Pieterse may ride for different teams, but once again, Milan-San Remo showed that the two close friends like to join forces in a race. That didn’t work out over the Poggio, leading both riders to admit to IDLProCycling.com that too much went wrong for them to have a shot at winning La Primavera for women.
“I enjoyed it more than I expected,” Pieterse said immediately after the finish, still catching her breath. That she ended up in 11th place—just outside the top ten—didn’t bother the Fenix-Deceuninck leader much. Pieterse came to fight for a podium spot, but already knew on the Poggio that it wasn’t going to happen. “I wasn’t far enough to the front,” she lamented. Taking the women’s KOM on the Poggio on Strava was, at best, a small consolation.
Read more below the photo.
Vollering and Pieterse also rode together in Strade Bianche
Vollering better understands Pogacar’s Sanremo frustrations
“It was weird,” Vollering said about her debut in northern Italy. “It was a fast, tough race, but the climbs weren’t hard enough because all the climbing teams left their leaders isolated too early. On the Poggio, there was no space to go anywhere, so when Juliette (Labous) found a gap, she could attack. But for me, it was already too late. Canyon//SRAM set a solid pace, but it was just right for Lorena and Lotte (Wiebes and Kopecky).”
And so, Vollering had to settle for fifth place. “It went so fast that it was hard to make a difference. Everyone’s at their limit from the bottom of the Poggio to the finish,” she admitted. She now better understands why the men have long said it’s the hardest race to win. “Now I get Pogi’s (Tadej Pogacar’s) frustration—that final climb is over so quickly… if you’re not in position for just a second, it’s already over.”
Read more below the video
Vollering miraculously stays upright in Milan-Sanremo
Vollering and Pieterse were the first to crest the Poggio, but it was more about positioning for the descent than making a move. “I took the descent the way I always do—by memorizing the corners—but unfortunately, I had only ridden it twice before. I was a bit frustrated by that, although I still remembered it fairly well. During the race, it’s also different because you tend to push a little more,” said the FDJ-SUEZ team leader.
“I also just didn’t really have my day,” Vollering concluded, after narrowly avoiding multiple crashes in the finale. “At one point someone crashed right next to me, and I thought she was going to take me down with her. I actually rode over her rear wheel but miraculously stayed upright. Then in another crash shortly after, I just barely made it through, though I could still feel riders hitting me from behind—one even hit my leg. I went up the Cipressa full of adrenaline and stress, and honestly, I never really recovered from that. On the Poggio, I could feel the lactic acid in my legs.”
Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])
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Latest Comments
- I am not sure if it is the hardest to win. In Flanders and Roubaix well before the finish the Peleton will be decimated and the race will normally be won by the best rider of the day or maybe 2nd or 3rd in case of a mechanical or unlucky break especially in case of Roubaix. In San Remo just before the finish there will still be several riders in contention and they are hard to ditch. For the best riders it is a race hard to win since it is not so selective. But if you are not a top 5 rider but still a top 10 rider this race is your best change to win. You will see more Milan San remo Winners with only 1 monument win than any other monumentsJoostmehrtens19-03-2025
- "fap fap fap oh Lance oh oh OHHHHHHH" again. Does he pay you to dredge up people with nice things to say about him? He was an giant a$$hole to people. It is a fact. Whatever his contrition about the doping, he is unapologetic about being a giant a$$hole to people. (Why yes, I do only login to complain. *I* am however only a giant a$$hole to people who laud giant a$$holes.)ericjensenridesbikes25-02-2025
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025 - If she thinks talent alone will put her there she will not see many podium finishes much less a GC finish.....work as a team utilizing tactics to consistently be at the top.Germanrazor10-01-2025
- This was very informative! Luiz Antonio Duarte Ferreiraluizantonioduarteferreira02-01-2025
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024