Demi Vollering of the Netherlands celebrated her victory on the podium after winning the Women’s Tour de France in Nice, France, on Sunday, August 9, 2026. As the Dutch national anthem played, Vollering, who also won in 2023, tried to hold back tears. She had delivered an incredible performance on the bike, significantly increasing her lead against Polish competitor Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney by 1 minute and 18 seconds. Vollering secured a dramatic stage win and commemorated her triumph by lifting her bike in the air upon crossing the finish line.
Niewiadoma-Phinney entered the final stage only eight seconds behind Vollering. By winning the stage, Vollering extended her lead. As the anthem concluded, a tear slid down Vollering’s cheek, soon followed by others as she realized her achievement.
It’s not only the dream of winning the Tour de France. It’s also the dream of living this life, of working hard along with passionate people,” said Vollering. “It all starts with dreaming. Go chase the dreams and don’t let anyone stop you.
As the finish line neared, Vollering, confident of her victory, began celebrating by raising an arm in triumph and tapping her head, indicating mental strength. “I was thinking about a lot of things as I approached the finish line,” she reflected. “I thought that I had never won in the yellow jersey before, about how much work has gone into this victory. I thought about the people who have been behind me.”
Vollering finished the stage 1 minute and 4 seconds ahead of Spaniard Paula Blasi Cairol and Niewiadoma-Phinney. Despite feeling exhausted, Niewiadoma-Phinney was smiling on the podium. Italy’s former Giro d’Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini ended third overall, trailing by 4 minutes and 29 seconds after Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser crashed during a descent.
Vollering’s Strategy and Rivalry
On the final climb, Niewiadoma-Phinney needed to challenge Vollering, who was close behind. However, Vollering attacked 800 meters from the top, leaving Niewiadoma-Phinney behind, replicating her strategy from the previous day’s stage.
Two years prior, Vollering narrowly missed victory, finishing four seconds behind Niewiadoma-Phinney. This time, she triumphed decisively. Vollering has now claimed five Grand Tours, which includes two Spanish Vuelta titles and the Giro d’Italia, joining Annemiek van Vleuten as the only female cyclists to win all three major tours.
I still have a lot of dreams,” Vollering stated. “On and off the bike.
Challenging Final Climbs
Sunday’s route included four climbs. The first three were each 7.7 kilometers long, with an average gradient of 5.9%. The final climb was shorter at 6 kilometers but steeper, averaging a 7.6% gradient, with one section reaching an arduous 12%.
Niewiadoma-Phinney’s energy waned after her solo victory on Mont Ventoux on Friday, reducing any threat to Vollering’s lead. Vollering’s persistent dominance ensured her victory was never at risk.