Demi Vollering

Vollering starts cycling late

Vollering was born on November 15, 1996, in Pijnacker in the Netherlands. Her father owns a flower nursery, and for a long time, it seemed that her future would be in cut hydrangeas as well. She worked in a flower shop for a long time and took a flower arranging course. During this time, she was also heavily involved in sports. Skating was her great passion until recently. It was Vollering's boyfriend who persuaded her to start cycling. In 2019, she made the final decision to focus on cycling.

Vollering impresses in her first year as a professional cyclist

Representing the Dutch team Parkhotel Valkenburg, Vollering immediately won the Giro dell'Emilia in her first year as a professional cyclist. She also won the prologue of the Luxembourg cycling race Festival Elsy Jacobs in 2019. Additionally, she represented the Netherlands at the World Road Championships in Yorkshire, where she launched an early attack and eventually finished 56th.

After a disappointing 2020 season, which saw less racing overall, Vollering switched to SD Worx. In her first year with the team, she immediately won Liège–Bastogne–Liège, outsprinting Annemiek van Vleuten. She also finished third in the Giro d'Italia and represented the Netherlands at the Tokyo Olympics. Vollering also impressed in the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Wallonne, finishing second in both. This year, she also won a stage in The Women's Tour and took victory in La Course by Le Tour de France.

Vollering becomes increasingly dominant at SD Worx

Starting in 2022, Vollering truly began to thrive. That year, she won the Flèche Brabançonne and took multiple stages as well as the overall victory in the Tour of the Basque Country. She also won the mountain classification in both the Vuelta a Burgos and the Tour de France Femmes. The Dutch rider is thriving at SD Worx and is increasingly proving she can lead the team.

She confirmed this beyond any doubt in 2023. The absolute highlight was her victory in the Tour de France Femmes. She also won the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Strade Bianchi. In the Tour de France Femmes, it was a fierce battle between Vollering and Van Vleuten. In the seventh stage, she seized control, winning both the stage and the yellow jersey. SD Worx dominated the entire season, with Vollering as the undisputed leader, marking a stellar year for the team. Vollering also performed well in the Vuelta a España, winning two stages and finishing second overall. At the World Road Championships, she placed second, behind her Belgian teammate Lotte Kopecky.