Demi Vollering kickstarts a new era in women’s cycling after Tour de France victory

SD Worx rider Demi Vollering won her maiden Tour de France femmes title last weekend after securing a second place on the individual time trial on stage eight.

The Dutch rider secured the yellow jersey on Saturday after a stunning win in a sensational performance on stage seven.

Her second-place time of 29:25 in the time trial meant she finished over three minutes faster than her teammate Lotte Kopecky in the overall standings.

Vollering finished on 25 hours, 17 mins, and 35 seconds, teammate Kopecky finished three minutes and three seconds behind, and Canyon SRAM Racing's Katarzyna Niewiadoma made up the top three.

According to bbc.co.uk, Vollering said: "I still cannot believe it, of course, I worked hard, but it's not only working hard, it's believing in it. It's so many things together in the end.

"You have your dream, and you work hard, but you also need to keep calm, have balance in your life, and find a relaxed way to do all this. This year, I feel comfortable in what I'm doing."

The maiden win for the Dutch rider has even greater significance, marking the end of 40-year-old defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten's reign at the top of the sport.

It's just one year since the roles were reversed, and Van Vleuten rode away from Vollering to snatch the yellow jersey, explaining her years of training and experience was the reason she won.

Cycling fans and experts knew Vollering was coming, but not as quickly as she has managed to do so. The 2023 champion hasn't just caught up with Van Vleuten, she destroyed her at this year's event.

According to bbc.co.uk, reigning world champion Van Vleuten, who is planning to retire at the end of the season, said: "I was in a battle, and I gave it my all. I didn't make any mistakes or do something wrong. I was not myself as I can be, which is sad in my last Tour de France."

This year's Tour de France highlighted the passing of the baton from Van Vleuten to Vollering, but it also showcased another star.

Belgian Lotte Kopecky showcased her extreme talent at this year's race, turning heads with her opening stage victory in Clermont-Ferrand.

The Belgian, who finished second in the General Classification, wore the yellow jersey for six days and climbed at remarkable speed to the summit of Col du Tourmalet.

Despite coming second overall, Kopecky was awarded the green points jersey and now turns her attention to Track World Championships in Scotland.

According to yahoo.com, Kopecky said: "I fly to Glasgow tomorrow, and I start my first event on the track next Sunday. I will try to recover as well as possible from the Tour de France, and I hope I stay healthy."

With the end of the current era and the start of a new exciting one, women's cycling will only continue to elevate with its new leaders at the front of the pack.