Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Demi Vollering has secured her second Tour de France Femmes title by winning the ninth and final stage to reclaim cycling’s biggest prize.
The Dutch 2023 champion raised her bike in the air moments after crossing the finish line in Nice comfortably ahead of Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion.
The 29-year-old FDJ-Suez rider, widely regarded as one of the finest cyclists of her generation, has added another milestone to an illustrious career.
That includes the 2023 Tour de France Femmes, the 2026 Giro d’Italia Women and back-to-back La Vuelta Femenina titles in 2024 and 2025.
Vollering began Sunday’s 99.2-km finale around Nice with an eight-second lead over Niewiadoma-Phinney after wresting the yellow jersey from the Pole a day earlier.
Knowing that she was well clear of her rival, Vollering began to celebrate as the line approached, raising her arm in triumph and then tapping her head with her finger to show her mental strength.
She finished the stage one minute, 04 seconds ahead of Spaniard Paula Blasi Cairol and Niewiadoma-Phinney and, after collecting the time bonus, ended up 1:18 clear of Niewiadoma-Phinney overall.
Veteran Australian cyclist Amanda Spratt, riding in her fourth and last Tour de France Femmes, finished in 30th place in the general classification with her LIDL-Tek team-mate, New Zealand’s Niamh Fisher-Black, placed 10th after finishing fourth in Sunday’s final stage.
Two years ago, Vollering missed out on Tour victory after finishing an agonizing four seconds behind Niewiadoma-Phinney on the last stage.
She made full amends this time.
And in doing so she has joined countrywoman Annemiek van Vleuten as the only other female cyclist to have won all three Grand Tours.
“It’s not only the dream of winning the Tour de France. It’s also the dream of living this life, of working hard along with passionate people,” she added.
“It all starts with dreaming. Go chase the dreams and don’t let anyone stop you.
“I still have a lot of dreams. On and off the bike.”
Italy’s former Giro d’Italia champion Elisa Longo Borghini was third overall in the Tour — 4:29 behind — after Swiss cyclist Marlen Reusser lost valuable time after crashing going downhill after the second of the day’s four climbs.
