SIENA, Italy (8 March 2025) — Demi Vollering’s victory at the Strade Bianche Women Elite Crédit Agricole marks a milestone for both her career and her new team, FDJ-Suez, as she claimed her first-ever one-day classic victory. In a race filled with drama, Vollering outpaced her former boss and rival, Anna van der Breggen, during the punishing final climb up the infamous Santa Catarina street. Van der Breggen, making a stunning return to competitive racing after a three-year retirement, finished a respectable second, while French MTB Olympic champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, rounded out the podium in third.
The 136-kilometer race, known for its treacherous gravel sections and steep climbs, proved to be the perfect battleground for Vollering to showcase her prowess and determination. The competition was fierce, with the top riders battling not only each other but the unforgiving Tuscan terrain. Vollering, a former rider for the dominant SD Worx team, had switched to FDJ-Suez ahead of this season, making this victory especially sweet as it came against the backdrop of her team’s first major success in the race.
Van der Breggen, who had spent three years as Vollering’s sports director at SD Worx, made a triumphant return to the race scene. The 2018 Strade Bianche winner and three-time podium finisher looked as strong as ever, but it was Vollering who took the decisive step in the final stretch. The pair arrived at the finish together, but Vollering was able to surge ahead in the final meters, proving that her shift to a new team had revitalized her career.
Race Highlights
The race saw several key moments that set the stage for the dramatic finish. Vollering admitted in the post-race press conference that she had been feeling confident as she approached the final gravel sector, but an early mechanical issue—a dropped chain—had momentarily disrupted her plan. “I already felt before the last gravel section that I could drop Anna, but my chain dropped, and it disturbed my plan,” Vollering explained. “She got a gap, and I was the first to catch up with Juliette [Labous]. We stayed calm.”
Despite the early setback, Vollering regained her composure and joined forces with her teammate Labous to chase down the leaders. In a testament to the strength and teamwork within FDJ-Suez, the duo managed to keep pace with van der Breggen, setting the stage for a tense final showdown.
For van der Breggen, the race was a test of both skill and endurance after her return to professional racing. “Tactically, it wasn’t difficult for me; I just had to follow,” said the 33-year-old Dutch rider. “In the final climb, I could feel the legs after the efforts I had made earlier. It was a hard stretch into Siena, but I’m happy with how it went, especially with my teammates.”
The Return of Anna van der Breggen
Van der Breggen’s second-place finish marked a significant achievement in her comeback journey. After announcing her retirement in 2021, the former Olympic gold medalist had stayed involved in cycling as a sports director before making her return to the peloton this season. Her performance at Strade Bianche was her first podium finish in a World Tour race since winning the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas in May 2021.
“This is my first podium since my return, and I’m really happy with that,” van der Breggen said. “Coming back as a rider is different from being a sports director. It’s a tough job, but I’m happy to have made the decision to return to the race.”
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s Resurgence
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who has spent the past few years dominating the mountain bike circuit, showed that her gravel and road skills remain sharp as she crossed the line in third. The French star, who had been a force in the 2010s, has returned to road racing with a vengeance, and her podium finish here marked a significant achievement in her comeback.
“This third place confirms that it was worth coming back to road racing,” Ferrand-Prévot said. “I wanted to be part of the bunch again and work with teammates. Strade Bianche was a great race to make that happen.”
The 32-year-old also reflected on the challenges she faced during the race, including a crash on a downhill. “It was a stupid crash, going a bit too fast,” she admitted. “But I tried not to think about it and just focus on getting the best result possible.”
Historical Significance
Vollering’s victory at Strade Bianche also holds historical significance. With her win, the Netherlands has now claimed six victories at the Strade Bianche Women Elite, more than any other country. Furthermore, this marks the first time in the history of the race that two Dutch riders finished in the top two, with Vollering and van der Breggen cementing their positions at the forefront of the competition. The podium also exemplified a cross-border dynamic, with the Dutch Vollering winning for a French team, FDJ-Suez, and Ferrand-Prévot securing third place for a Dutch team, Visma | Lease a Bike.
The victory also brought Vollering into an elite club of riders who have won Strade Bianche twice, joining the likes of Annemiek van Vleuten and Lotte Kopecky. “Strade Bianche was our first team goal, and to achieve it like this is amazing,” Vollering said, reflecting on the significance of the race for FDJ-Suez. “The team spirit is amazing, and this victory means a lot.”
Final Results
- Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) – 136 km in 3h49’04” (average speed: 35.622 km/h)
- Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx – Protime) – at 18″
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – at 1’42”
As the 2025 edition of Strade Bianche Women Elite draws to a close, it’s clear that Vollering’s move to FDJ-Suez has paid off. With her first one-day classic victory in the bag, she now looks forward to future challenges, including the upcoming Sanremo Women’s race. Whether she will continue her streak of success remains to be seen, but for now, her Strade Bianche win is a powerful statement of her strength, resilience, and determination to continue making history in women’s cycling.
