🎥 Vollering and Ten Dam begin preparations for new chapter in Dutch women's cycling... on Specialized bikes!

New year, new opportunities — that’s likely Demi Vollering’s motto for 2025. After a year that can be described as "close but not quite," she’s seeking a fresh start with her new team, FDJ-SUEZ. Similarly, the Dutch national team is embracing change, with Laurens ten Dam aiming to shake things up as the new national coach. He recently visited his team leader in Switzerland.

Together, they rode a loop near Vollering’s picturesque hometown. Surrounded by stunning winter sunshine, mountains, and lakes, it was the perfect setting. To top it off, they rode brand-new Specialized bikes. Vollering stuck with a traditional road bike, while gravel specialist Ten Dam opted for a gravel bike. "Laurens ended up making the perfect choice for his bike, because of course we did find a bit of gravel on the route," Vollering shared on her Instagram page.

This marks the first steps in Ten Dam’s ambitious plans. The former professional cyclist was appointed as the new national coach for the Dutch women’s road cycling team in early November, following the departure of Loes Adegeest. He had previously been the coach of the Dutch gravel team, and now the road team is part of his portfolio. "I’m still unsure about it. Can I manage the logistics, lead the group? I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve only taken a one-year coaching course," he admitted at the time.

Read more below the post!

New team and sponsors signal a fresh start for Vollering

For Vollering, this support could be a much-needed boost. After her performance at the World Championships in Zurich, the 28-year-old cyclist was slammed with harsh criticism from nearly all sides. Her relationship with her former team, SD Worx-Protime, ended painfully, as the team firmly backed Lotte Kopecky. Now with FDJ-SUEZ, Vollering seems to have reclaimed her role as the sole team leader. With new sponsors like Specialized and Nike, the pieces for a successful comeback appear to be in place.

Read also

New wolves Schachmann and Hayter criticize Red Bull and INEOS: "Bikes designed for them, not for me"

Wout van Aert receives praise: "He could live in Monaco, and drive a red Ferrari"

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get every week the latest news about CYCLING in your inbox!

Subscribe