A particularly outspoken Vollering: ''I tried to keep in touch, but it remained one-way traffic''

One of the most significant moments of Vollering year took place during the fifth stage of the Tour de France. In the last phase, six kilometers before the finish, things deteriorated. Another rider steered clumsily through a bend, causing Vollering to crash. "I was lying there, and at first, I thought I had fractured my hip. I couldn't feel my left leg, and my pants were wet. Only later did I understand that those wet pants were due to a broken tailbone."

Despite the pain, she continued the race again. But she lost the yellow jersey she had secured a day earlier and would not regain it. Three days later, she finished second after a heroic Alpe d'Huez battle. The difference from the winner, Kasia Niewiadoma, was only four seconds. Only after the Tour did it become clear how serious her injury was: "That explained why I felt so bad in those last stages."

The season also had its challenges behind the scenes. Tensions arose within SD Worx, among other things, because of the shared team leader position with Lotte Kopecky. "This year, we always rode with two plans: one for Lotte and one for me. But I prefer a clear strategy. Then I know where I stand." Communication was difficult, and the two barely spoke to each other toward the end of the season. "I tried to keep in touch, but it remained one-way traffic. At some point, I thought: now it's just done."

The announcement that her trainer and team leader, Anna van der Breggen, would be racing again next season made the situation harder - a decision Vollering only heard about through social media. "I felt frustrated. She knew everything about me, even though she will be my rival next year," Vollering says. Despite these tensions, the 28-year-old multiple winner stressed that her time with the Dutch team was not bad. "The team helped me grow tremendously. I tried to keep the vibe positive throughout the season, however difficult that was at times."

The Tour de France was not the only moment of disappointment. At the World Road Championships, held in Zurich, Switzerland, things went wrong again. Vollering appeared at the start as a favorite, but her tactical choices during the race were met with widespread criticism. Ultimately, she finished fifth, while her rival Kopecky took the world title. "I was ashamed of how I had raced. Everything I could do wrong, I did wrong. I wanted to win so badly that I got stuck completely." The criticism of her performance was unprecedentedly harsh. "I already felt guilty, and then you get a sh*tload of negative reactions. That hurts."

After a tumultuous period, Vollering is looking ahead again. With her move to FDJ-Suez, she hopes to make a fresh start. The team offers new opportunities but also new challenges. "I am extremely motivated to perform again next year. I want to prove that not only am I a good rider, but I can also be a leader." And all the issues from last season will go in the bag to take with me. "I know I must approach things differently, dare to demand more. But I also remain true to myself. My emotions and my drive - define me. Cycling is a seesaw. Sometimes, the will to win prevails; sometimes, the fear of losing. It's about balancing," the Dutch rider concludes.