Demi Vollering wins Vuelta in style with gala performance on final climb | Cycling

The 27-year-old Vollering started the final stage with a lead of 52 seconds over Italian number two Elisa Longo Borghini. The final stage ended on a mountain top in Valdesquí, a ski area around the Spanish capital Madrid.

At the first attack at 6.5 kilometers from the finish, Vollering left all her competitors behind in no time on the final climb. She crossed the line solo with a large lead. She succeeds Annemiek van Vleuten as final winner.

Vollering seized power in the Vuelta on Thursday in a tough mountain stage and did not relinquish the red leader’s jersey after that. For the South Holland native it is a big boost after a frustrating spring, in which she kept missing out on a victory.

For Vollering it is the second overall victory in a Grand Tour. Last year, the leader of SD Worx-Protime won the Tour de France. Later this year she hopes to win the Tour again (12-18 August). The Tour de France starts in our own country, in Rotterdam.

The Vuelta has not only become a great success for the Netherlands because of Vollering’s overall victory and two stage victories. Riejanne Markus from Visma-Lease a Bike finished second in the final rankings. In addition, Marianne Vos won two stages.