FDJ-Suez reacts to Vollering's arrival: "We want to win the three grand tours and also the classics"

The transfer of Demi Vollering to FDJ-Suez was no longer a great surprise. As a result, you quickly forget that it creates a significant shift in international women's cycling. All eyes will be on FDJ-Suez next year because, in addition to Vollering, Juliette Labous will join, and Évita Muzic is already part of the team. Together, they form a trident that will try to take the throne from SD Worx-Protime.

Vollering signed a two-year contract with the French team. "We have big ambitions and we are really excited about the future," FDJ-Suez manager Stephen Delcourt told Velo. ''After 19 seasons we’re always improving to be step-by-step one of the best teams." SD Worx-Protime has been warned.

Text continues below photo

"The contract was done in a month"

“One year ago I could not have imagined having Demi,” Delcourt said, “but we started discussing in the spring and one month later it was finalized. We had a good conversation about what she wanted and expected, her dreams, and when we compared and shared our values, our story and our vision for the future, we were naturally really motivated to sign her. She has the same values as us – our mission is to inspire the next generation – and she wanted a quiet place, a place where we respect the rules, the contract and above all the riders."

The French have a clear goal in mind with Vollering. "Demi is the best GC rider,' states Delcourt. 'She lost the Tour de France this year but we need to remember the atmosphere and the context – SD Worx knew there was no deal [for her staying]. It was a complicated year for her but if we analyse, we see she won the Vuelta, all the other Spanish stages races, and though crashes are part of cycling, for me she was the best in the Tour de France."

Text continues below photo

Arrival of Vollering historic and a celebration for the French

According to Delcourt, Vollering's arrival is a celebration of the French and French cycling. "It’s a great day for French cycling in general because it’s the first time in the modern cycling era that a Tour de France winner has signed for a French team. So he leaves no doubt. "We want to be able to win the three Grand Tours for the next four to five years and to win the Classics also. Signing Demi is a big step towards that."

With Vollering, Labous, Muzic, and Elise Chabbey - who is also making the switch this winter - FDJ-Suez has a strong squad for the classics next year. On the other hand, Cecilie Uttrup and Marta Cavalli will leave. Delcourt: "Juliette and Évita are on their own paths to improving. Evita won a stage of the Giro and now the next step for her is to podium in a Grand Tour. Juliette podiumed in the 2023 Giro, but every year she won only one victory. Our goal is that Demi shares her aggressiveness to win with Juliette and Évita."

If that succeeds, 2025 could be a golden year for FDJ-Suez. Delcourt sees the possible shifts in women's cycling as something positive: "In 2022, when Marta Cavalli won Amstel Gold and La Flèche Wallone [for FDJ], after Annemiek van Vleuten won Liège-Bastogne-Liège [for Movistar], it was three big races without a victory for SD Worx and that was good for the visibility of women’s cycling that the same team who was always winning didn’t win. I think now races are more open, many teams are changing a lot of things, and women’s cycling is better for it."

Read also

Longo Borghini shares thoughts behind her move to UAE Team ADQ: "I want to face the unknown"

What is Wout van Aert doing in Spain? Cycling with fellow top riders, but also running with his wife Sara

Jorgenson will continue to be Vingegaard's super-domestique as long as the "supermen" are at the start: "not interested in leadership role"