Dutch cyclist Demi Vollering won the Strade Bianche on Saturday by a few centimeters from her teammate Lotte Kopecky. Less than a kilometer from the finish, the two passed Kristen Faulkner, who was alone in the lead for a long time. Kopecky was the first to pass the bend in sight of the finish, but Vollering managed to come alongside in the last meters.
A loose horse caused a commotion in the last fifteen kilometers of the race. Vollering had escaped from the group pursuing Faulkner and suddenly came riding behind the stampeding animal. That lasted at least a kilometer, until the horse slipped in a bend and Vollering could continue on her way undisturbed. It cost Demi Vollering a few seconds, but not the win.
It is one of the biggest cycling victories to date for Vollering, who won the Tour of Emilia in 2019 and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2021. She was one of the favourites, but Kopecky and world champion Annemiek van Vleuten in particular were seen as contenders.
“This race always came very early in the year for me,” said Vollering afterwards. “Because of that I wasn’t strong enough to believe I could win it.” This year, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak of her SD Worx team gave Vollering confidence. “She told me to believe in this race. I am very grateful for that.”
Also read this interview with Demi Vollering: ‘Being a leader is much more complicated than people think’