Demi Vollering Wins the 2026 Tour of Flanders

“I have dreamt of that moment so many times last night. I knew that the Kwaremont is the longest effort, that’s what suits me the most. And it’s in the end, so everybody feels the fatigue already. I knew that I just had to push without looking behind, and that’s what I did until I finally turned off the cobbles, and then I realised I was alone,” Vollering said.

Finding control inside the effort

Once she was clear, the race became something else entirely. It was less about tactics, more about holding the line all the way to Oudenaarde.

“The final was super hard. I only thought, ‘I need to go as fast as possible, and then the suffering is finally over’. I tried to find some calmness in the suffering, and in the end, I did it. But I also had to; the team did an amazing job again. It’s not every year that you’re healthy and come into this position, so then you really need to enjoy the moment and give it your all,” Vollering said.

Behind, the race never fully reorganised. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot was the only rider able to initially respond, but couldn’t match the sustained acceleration. She would go on to take second, ahead of Puck Pieterse.

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The race before the move

The decisive moment may have come late, but the groundwork was laid much earlier.

Crashes split the race, including a major incident before the Koppenberg that forced several abandons. From there, the selection sharpened through the key climbs, with FDJ-SUEZ repeatedly driving the pace.

Franziska Koch’s work on the cobbles, followed by further pressure on the Kruisberg and Taaienberg, reduced the group to the core contenders: Vollering, Ferrand-Prévot, Pieterse and Lotte Kopecky among them.

By the time they reached the final ascent of the Kwaremont, the race was ready to split.

Team strength, delivered at the right moment

For Vollering, the win wasn’t just about timing — it was about everything that led into that moment.

“Sometimes people don’t really see how important teammates are, but they make sure that you’re as fresh as possible in the final. Everybody in the team was just so important for the win here,” Vollering continued.

It showed in how the move was set up: a final lead-out from Koch, a brief hesitation behind, and then a steady, seated acceleration that simply carried on.

No way back from the Kwaremont

Over the top, the gap was already significant. By the Paterberg, it was decisive. From there, Vollering rode alone to Oudenaarde, extending her advantage all the way to the finish. No panic, no overreach, just a measured effort to the line. Behind, Ferrand-Prévot held off Pieterse for second, while Kopecky edged out Zoe Bäckstedt in the sprint for fourth.