Demi Vollering’s win at Strade Bianche was not only a big personal victory for the Dutch rider, but also a real confirmation that the team FDJ-Suez have built around their marquee signing is working well.
The race on Saturday saw Vollering win not just on pure strength. It was also a result of dedicated teamwork from Juliette Labous and Évita Muzic to shut down the efforts both of their biggest rivals, and of teams that up until recently would get the better of the French squad.
Making the move from SD Worx-Protime to FDJ-Suez without bringing any teammates was a leap for Vollering. But general manager Stephen Delcourt is already seeing success from the project he built.
“Last year it was special when we spoke together with Demi and we said 'we have a project to be a team that's able to win all the Monuments and the Grand Tours, and we need you trust us, to sign alone without teammates',” Delcourt told Cyclingnews at the finish of Strade Bianche.
“We have Juliette, we have Évita, it's the perfect trio for me. It was a big challenge for [Demi] to arrive in a French team, without teammates. Big thanks to Demi and her manager that they trust in the project and now we know that we're working in a good way. I'm really impressed by the team performance.”
After SD Worx-ProTime’s refusal to cooperate specifically with FDJ-Suez and Vollering at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, it felt like a tricky rivalry might be brewing, but for Delcourt, there’s more than one team to beat.
“Demi beat everybody, and I prefer to focus on that,” he said when asked about beating SD Worx and Anna van der Breggen in Siena.
“We have a lot of big rivals, with UAE, with SD Worx, with Canyon, don't forget that it was a really bad day for Canyon and we know how Kasia [Niewiadoma] and Cecilie [Uttrup Ludwig] will be good for the future. Now we just need to respect our rivals and continue to work hard, because [there is room for] the battle of Pauline [Ferrand-Prévot], Anna, Elisa [Longo Borghini], Kasia, Demi, Juliette and Évita now.”
For Delcourt in particular, there was something very special about finally winning Strade Bianche as one of the longest-running teams in the women’s peloton.
“For me it's my favourite race of the year. When you are here in the Plazo di Campo for the last ten years, I hoped that one day we can win. It was not a simple win for our team, but first we need to enjoy now and then continue and come back to work really hard.”
The Frenchman’s eyes are firmly on the future and ambitions of more big wins for Vollering and his team.
“My mind starts to work now about the future. It's a completely full time mindset. We need to enjoy [this win], and tomorrow we come back, and Monday we have a meeting at 9AM to think about not the past but the future. We have Binda and a big next goal for the team in Milan-San Remo because it's the first big edition of the new women's race. We really want to write a lot of stories this year and enjoy every moment.”
For Vollering, the best is likely yet to come, with Delcourt explaining that neither Muzic, Labous nor Vollering are at their peak ability just yet.
“She can do more. We planned the shape specially for Évita and Juliette and Demi, they are in good shape, but they are not in the top top shape for the moment. Race after race they are better. For sure Demi is really motivated and she really wants to be the best for Milan-San Remo also. And we're really proud of Juliette's sacrifice today [against] all the WorldTeams.”
After San Remo, attention will turn towards the Ardennes and the Grand Tours, with three riders already heading to altitude before the Classics, and the trio of leaders set to do the same post-Classics.
“For Demi we focus on Strade, Ardennes, and Grand Tours,” Delcourt confirmed. “We've never won a Grand Tour, now maybe it's time to win one.”
