Dutch cyclist Demi Vollering, the defending Tour de France Femmes champion, has seized the yellow jersey after a dominant performance in the third stage, a 6.3 km individual time trial in Rotterdam. Vollering completed the course in 7 minutes and 25 seconds, beating world champion Chloe Dygert of the United States by 5 seconds, with Dutch rider Loes Adegeest finishing third.This victory marks a significant shift in the tour’s dynamics, as Vollering now leads the general classification by 3 seconds over her compatriot Lorena Wiebes, with Dygert 5 seconds behind. The win came as a surprise even to Vollering herself, who stated, ‘I really didn’t see this coming. I had no idea that I could do this today, so I am really surprised, actually’.Earlier in the day, Charlotte Kool had won her second consecutive stage in a sprint finish, maintaining her hold on the yellow jersey. However, Kool finished 33rd in the time trial, 25 seconds behind Vollering, relinquishing her overall lead.The tour, which has garnered significant public interest with an estimated 150,000 spectators lining the route of the first stage, will now move into more challenging terrain. Wednesday’s stage will take the riders from Valkenburg in the Netherlands to Liège in Belgium, featuring several short, steep climbs in the Ardennes. The tour will then enter France on Thursday, ultimately concluding with a mountain stage to Alpe d’Huez on Sunday, August 18.As the race progresses, Vollering appears to be in top form, putting the onus on her rivals. She confidently stated, ‘It’s up to the other teams to take the yellow jersey from us now’. With the upcoming challenging stages, the tour promises more excitement and potential shifts in the general classification.
Key points
- Demi Vollering wins the 6.
- Vollering now leads the general classification by 3 seconds over Lorena Wiebes.
- The tour will face challenging stages in the Ardennes and French mountains, concluding at Alpe d’Huez on August 18.
3 km time trial stage in Rotterdam, taking the yellow jersey.
