Demi full ring, the best cyclist of the present, experienced a disharmonic year at SD Worx. Now she switches to FDJ-Suez with great destinations. A team that is just as ambitious as Volling.
The first confrontation with the new team was “A little creepy for me”says Demi Volling, many unknown faces, and she, the best cyclist of the present, was added as a star, number one. “It’s not easy to go to a room with such a burden where you are all waiting for you “says the Dutch woman. But after a few interpersonal approaches and especially after the first units on the bike, all tension was evaporated, not only with her, “Also with my team”.
Big ambitions
Your team is now the French team FDJ-Suez, for which full ring chose after a little harmonious season at SD Worx. With great ambitions, as full of Fülling emphasizes on Tuesday in the Parisian district of FDJ-Suez, shortly before departure for their first use in the new blue colors at Setmana Ciclista for women in the Valencia region, which begins on Thursday.
The Dutchman Demi full ring in the yellow jersey
Volling says to their plans: “Winning the Tour de France a second time is my most important project this season. But there are also other goals.” The Ardennes triple, for example, the repetition of your coup from 2023, when she won the Amstel Gold Race, the Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April within a week. And a total of 17 races, including the second edition of the new Tour de France of women, with a big lead in front of their then Belgian teammate Lotte Kopecky.
Unexpected competition with Team SD Worx
Among other things, Kopecky and the not clearly defined ranking at the top team SD Worx, fully led to their switch to the French of FDJ-Suez. Kopecky suddenly informed her that she wanted to improve in the mountains, says Volling – “It made it difficult because if you have two drivers with the same profile, you have to compromise”. It remained open who would take on the role of the captain for large tours.
Lotte Kopecky – full rings competitor at Team SD Worx
“That was a slap in the face”
In addition, Füllering explained in the early 2024 internal team that she felt stagnation that she lacks a plan for her further development. She was asked: “Why isn’t it good enough for you here?” The team reacted promptly and there was a turning point. Sports director Danny Stam unexpectedly informed the astonished public last March that full ring SD Worx would be left at the end of the year. “It was a slap in the face because I hadn’t made a decision yet”says Volling.
There was also a rethinking at the bad mood at full -rings previous trainer Anna van den Breggen. The two worked together harmoniously, the top driver full ring benefited from the top perfomate manager and sports director van der Breggen. But when the Dutchman van der Breggen explained in the previous year that she would give her comeback in 2025 after a three -year break, it was clear to Fülling that everything had to change for her. Because van der Breggen was considered an outstanding victory driver in her active time, she won the Giro d’Italia and the women’s tour of the Spain, was a world champion and was successful in several classics. “I was frustrated and angry about the news of Anna’s return” says full ring.
Former trainer becomes the competitor
Because van der Breggen “I knew everything from me as an athlete”knew their strengths and weaknesses and also their psychological constitution: “Anna made it clear to me that I also know everything about her, because the way she trains me is also the way she trains herself.” But mutual trust was destroyed. After the tour, Volling worked with Lieselot Decroix and Flavien Soenen, their new coacht team at FDJ-Suez. “It fit immediately between us “says Volling now.
Backing up at the Tour de France
At the Tour de France in August 2024, Volling experienced a setback after a fall on the fifth of eight stages. She lost a lot of time and the yellow jersey. In this case too, the team strategy was rather chaotic than well thought out. “But something like that happens in cycling”says Volling and sounds conciliatory. However, she had broken her coccyx, as it turned out after the race. And yet on the last stage, which led up to Alpe d’Huez, she almost caught up with the leading Polish Katarzyna Niewiadoma, almost her gap of 1:15 minutes, and only four seconds were missing from the triumph. Tears flowed in both, before despair at full ring, with happiness at Niewiadoma.
Forgot everything, says Volling on Tuesday, 2025, everything should get better, the harmony already applies to your new team. It is also clear that she is the captain. And: “I don’t feel any pressure here. Everyone is calm, me too.” After many conversations with other teams, the overall impression, “The love of working on detail” and “My heart” the rash for FDJ-Suez. “I hope this will also be clear in our races together”says Volling.
Big destinations with FDJ-Suez
Team manager Stephen Delcourt says that “We want to go to work with love in our team and want to realize dreams”. The contract with the sponsor runs until 2028 “And during this time we want to win all big races that are in the calendar. With different drivers.”
A very strong squad is available to him for this, “With which we can achieve a lot“, as Volling says. With her, the Frenchwoman Juliette Labous came to FDJ-Suez, the ninth of the tour 2024. She strengthens the group of strong drivers, which also includes the French évita Muzic, who ended the past tour in fourth place . “For example, a stage victory”as Muzic says -but ultimately accept the position of full ring as head of the ensemble.
Sounds like a rare agreement in all areas. And fully emphasizes what she wants to give back given the trust that your team puts in her: “Winning the tour with a French team would be formidable.”