Demi Vollering crosses the line to reclaim the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes. (Getty Images: Alex Broadway)<\/p>\n
Demi Vollering has reclaimed the Tour de France Femmes yellow jersey from Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney.<\/p>\n
Vollering launched a blistering attack to claim the penultimate stage by 17 seconds.<\/p>\n
The final stage gets underway tonight with a difficult conclusion to the race.<\/p>\n
Demi Vollering launched a blistering attack to win the eighth stage of the Tour de France Femmes and take the yellow jersey heading into tonight's final stage.<\/p>\n
The Dutchwoman upped the pace on the fourth and final small climb and title rival Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney cracked with about 6km to go, sitting back down in her saddle as 2023 Tour winner Vollering surged ahead.<\/p>\n
As Vollering zoomed along the famed Promenade des Anglais by the seaside in Nice, Niewiadoma-Phinney and former Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini could not close the gap.<\/p>\n
Demi Vollering collapses to the ground in a ice vest after a gruelling stage. (Getty Images: Tim de Waele)<\/p>\n
"It's funny but only this morning I saw myself taking the yellow jersey," Vollering said.<\/p>\n
"I thought it might come true, that maybe that's the way things should be. During the day, I tried to remind myself I could do it."<\/p>\n
Vollering raised her arms in triumph at the line, then collapsed to the ground and panted heavily as she tried to get her breath back.<\/p>\n
"I was in so much pain, I can hardly describe it, but I made it happen," Vollering said.<\/p>\n
"This goes to prove that if you really believe in something, if you dream big, it doesn't matter how much risk you take or how much pain you have to go through."<\/p>\n
Longo Borghini was second and Niewiadoma-Phinney was third, both 17 seconds behind. The day belonged to Vollering, who won the Giro d'Italia this year to complete the hat-trick of Grands Tour wins.<\/p>\n
She is eight seconds ahead of Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion, in the overall standings. The Polish rider took the yellow jersey with a brilliant solo win up Mont Ventoux a day earlier, and rode a yellow bike to go with it on Stage 8.<\/p>\n