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Rivals beware: Demi Vollering will have greater freedom and greater opportunities in 2025.
Having shared team leadership with Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes and others in recent seasons at SD Worx-Protime, the Dutchwoman will enjoy greater flexibility for the next two seasons following a long-rumored move to FDJ-Suez.
The 27-year-old will compete alongside French hopes Evita Muzic and Juliette Labous but, notwithstanding their ongoing progression, should be the undisputed number one at the squad.
“From the very first meeting with the FDJ-Suez team, I immediately had a good feeling,” Vollering said in the team announcement Monday.
“I couldn’t get the smile off my face. I’m happy to be embarking on this adventure, to experience something new and to rediscover myself in this team.”
Vollering’s signing was confirmed with a striking video from the team, showing her sitting in a theater playing piano, interspersed with images from her career.
These include triumphs but also the disappointment of her Tour de France Femmes defeat this summer, when a crash on stage 5 plus a lack of support from SD Worx-Protime saw her ultimately end up four seconds behind Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) overall.
Winning that race for a second time will be a huge goal for her, and she will almost certainly be at the big route unveil in Paris Tuesday.
She will have other targets too, though, and with past career victories including two editions of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the 2024 Vuelta España Femenina, Strade Bianche Donne and many other races, her versatility is clear.
“This is a great day and a new step for the team,” said general manager Stephen Delcourt. “Demi is an immense champion and we can’t wait to work on her development and see her compete in the team’s blue, white, and red jersey.”
‘We’re going to have a great team’
Vollering is the 17th rider confirmed as being with the team in 2025. Monday’s announcement completes the roster for next season and will see it with a number of big hitters. Muzic and Labous are both just 25 years of age and gaining strength year by year.
Muzic has taken stages in the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile and Vuelta a España Femenina and was fourth overall in this year’s Tour de France Femmes.
Labous was runner up in the Giro d’Italia Donne last year as well as fourth in this year’s Olympic time trial.
They, along with new signing Elise Chabbey and the others on the team will give Vollering considerable backup in races, as well as having the talent to chase results in their own right.
“I’ve always liked the collective fighting spirit of FDJ-Suez and its attacking mentality during races,” she said.
“We’re going to have a great team and I’m convinced that great things await us.”
Delcourt will see Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig leave the squad this winter. Also exiting is Marta Cavalli, who was hampered by crashes this season, including being hit by a car while training in July.
She last competed in early May. There has not yet been confirmation where the 26 year old will compete next season.
“We’d like to thank her from the bottom of our hearts for everything she’s contributed to the team, her outstanding performances and her professionalism over the past three years,” FDJ-Suez said in a statement.
She won the Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne in 2022 while with the team.
Both Uttrup Ludwig and Cavalli have been an important part of the team but in signing Vollering, Delcourt has brought on board an even bigger name.
She will be aided by Lars Boom, a former Tour and Vuelta stage winner who had been working alongside her at SD Worx-Protime. He moved across to the French team earlier this month.
Decourt is excited about what the future holds for the squad.
“With our sponsors, FDJ and SUEZ, as well as our historical partners, we have been working for several years to build a competitive world team on a healthy and stable foundation.
“Let’s ride.”
