Demi Vollering clinched her second Tour de France Femmes championship with a commanding performance on the concluding climbs near Nice, ultimately finishing 1 minute and 18 seconds ahead of Kasia Niewiadoma. The pivotal moment occurred on the Col d’Èze when the Dutch cyclist launched a decisive attack, distancing herself from Niewiadoma with about 600 meters left on the final ascent. Prior to this, Niewiadoma, who was the 2024 champion, had made multiple attempts to overtake during the climbs but failed to outpace Vollering.
The victory was clouded by a dispute between Vollering and Niewiadoma over race tactics during the previous stage. Niewiadoma accused Célia Gery, a member of Vollering’s team, of deliberately obstructing her during a critical segment of the race, a claim that fueled ongoing debate and tension between the riders as they approached the final stage. Despite the controversy, Niewiadoma acknowledged Vollering’s exceptional strength, expressing her desire to compete in a fair manner.
Vollering expressed that her triumph was meant to highlight her team’s deserving win based on their sporting capabilities. Meanwhile, Niewiadoma secured the second spot overall, maintaining her impressive streak of podium finishes in recent editions of the Tour de France Femmes.
The final stage also brought challenges for Marlen Reusser, who suffered a crash while descending the Col d’Èze. The Swiss rider, who had started the day holding third place overall, saw her standings drop significantly to 14th in the general classification following the incident.