Demi Vollering turns pressure into second European title

Demi Vollering converted heavy expectations into a second European title around Ljubljana, extending a season that has already brought her the world championship, the Tour de France and the Giro. The Dutch rider had arrived as the clear favourite after her victory in Montreal the previous weekend, with the Netherlands team focused on positioning her for another major success.

The triumph adds to her wins at the Tour des Flandres and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, completing a run of results she described as beyond what she could have imagined at the start of the year. Her campaign has been built around victories and consistency, with Vollering also crediting the daily work and the support of her teammates. Lorena Wiebes and Puck Pieterse were among those riding with the goal of delivering her to the title.

Vollering will remain in Slovenia for Wednesday’s time trial. She finished third in that discipline at both the Giro and the Tour de France, then placed eighth at the world championships. Marlen Reusser, who has won four of her five time trials this season, remains the leading obstacle and will wear the rainbow jersey again. Vollering’s pressure should be lower this time, but she will still target her first victory in the discipline on a course that follows the same circuit used in the road race.