How international media — from L'Équipe's front page to The New York Times — reacted to Demi Vollering and the Tour Femmes

Demi Vollering's stage and overall victory at the Tour de France Femmes has been celebrated across Europe. The Dutch FDJ-SUEZ rider completed the job in Nice on Sunday to win the Tour de France Femmes and on Monday found herself on the front page of L'Équipe, while international media outlets were full of praise for Vollering and the way she reclaimed the biggest prize in women's cycling.

‘Imperial’ was the emphatic headline on the front page of the major French sports newspaper. ‘After triumphing majestically through the mist on the Tourmalet in 2023, Vollering appeared destined for a long reign over the Tour de France, just as her predecessor Annemiek van Vleuten was preparing to retire,’ L'Équipe wrote.

‘Instead, she had to wait three years before reclaiming her throne and becoming the first woman since the race was revived in 2022 to win the Tour for a second time. Rather than establishing a dynasty, the 29-year-old Dutchwoman finished runner-up in both 2024 and 2025, two enormous disappointments considering she had started both races among the major favourites. She brought the lessons and frustrations of those defeats with her into this summer.’

The Belgian newspaper HLN drew a comparison with Tadej Pogacar's dominance in the men's peloton. ‘On the way to a Pogacar-like year?’ it wondered. ‘So, is Vollering the Pogacar of women's cycling? With three stage victories and the overall win, she dominated this Tour in Pogacar fashion, although what happened on the Ventoux does add a slight qualification to that assessment.’

‘With her second overall Tour victory, Vollering has already put the crown on an absolutely extraordinary season, but it does not necessarily have to end here. The rainbow jersey in Montréal will undoubtedly be one of her remaining targets — she has never been world champion. She has been European champion, though, and in Slovenia she will find a course on which she should certainly be capable of defending that jersey. Two Monuments, the Giro, the Tour and potentially a world title and another European jersey still to come — at that point, you really could call it a Pogacar-like season. Couldn't you?’

Het Nieuwsblad called Vollering ‘more than a copy of Pogacar’ in its Monday edition. ‘And there is more! Just like Tadej Pogacar, Demi Vollering has managed to win the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour de France in the very same season. Vollering can also add Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Giro d'Italia to that list.’

‘There is still one blank spot on her palmarès, and that is the rainbow jersey. In Glasgow, only a brilliant Lotte Kopecky was able to beat her. If Vollering can find the strength to prepare herself for the World Championships in Montréal, then there can be little doubt about who the leading favourite will be. A Vollering in this kind of form is simply the best rider in the world.’

Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport described Vollering's performance as ‘triumphant’, although it also devoted plenty of attention to Elisa Longo Borghini's third place. Spanish newspaper AS referred to Vollering as ‘La Reina’ — the queen. ‘At the finish, she pointed towards her head, because there can be little doubt that a major part of her success this year came from there: her mental strength.’

‘Vollering had not managed to reclaim the crown of the Grande Boucle since 2023, when she took over from the legendary Annemiek van Vleuten. Perhaps that was already too long a wait for one of the greatest riders in the world. But, as the saying goes, patience is rewarded, and she ended that drought in spectacular fashion.’

Marca struck a similar tone in its coverage from Nice. ‘This is already Vollering's sixth stage victory in the Tour de France, and she has also become the first woman to win the Tour more than once under its current format, following her previous overall victory in 2023.’

In Switzerland — where Vollering lives — there was naturally considerable attention for Marlen Reusser's crash. ‘At the complete opposite end of the emotional spectrum is Vollering. After the Dutchwoman overturned an eight-second deficit to Poland's Katarzyna “Kasia” Niewiadoma-Phinney on Saturday to take the overall race lead, she defended her yellow jersey in highly impressive fashion during the final stage,’ Blick wrote.

The Guardian felt Vollering was determined to make one final statement on the last day. ‘By the finish, there could be little discussion about who was strongest. Demi Vollering attacked on the Col d'Èze overlooking Nice and secured her second Tour de France Femmes title, finishing one minute and 18 seconds ahead of her rival Kasia Niewiadoma, the winner of the race in 2024.’

‘The decisive moves came on the narrow and twisting Chemin du Vinaigrier, climbing past swimming pools and art-deco villas, where breakaway rider Isabella Holmgren was eventually caught and Vollering and Niewiadoma once again found themselves fighting head-to-head. This Tour, however, ultimately became Vollering's redemption, two years after the bitter disappointment and tears she experienced on Alpe d'Huez,’ the British newspaper concluded.

The German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung saw more winners. ‘Alongside overall winner Vollering, Tour organiser ASO and race director Marion Rousse also had every reason to be satisfied. The fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes, which featured the legendary Mont Ventoux for the first time on Friday, proved to be an enormous success.’

‘The riders produced exciting racing, the suspense remained right through to the finale and the huge numbers of supporters alongside the roads created a fantastic atmosphere. The 2026 edition was the longest and most demanding since the race was relaunched in 2022. The expectation is that this growth will continue,’ was the assessment from Germany.

In Poland, home of runner-up Kasia Niewiadoma, the duel was also covered with respect. ‘After the final stage of this year's Tour de France, Kasia approached Vollering's team to apologise. The last stage was incredibly emotional, partly because of everything that had happened after Saturday's stage. Once the emotion surrounding those crucial moments had settled down, our compatriot showed great class,’ the report stated, referring to Niewiadoma's clash with Célia Gery on Saturday and the controversy that followed.

Vollering's victory was noticed well beyond Europe's borders, too, with The New York Times writing extensively about the Dutchwoman. ‘When she crossed the finish line in Nice, Vollering formed a heart with her hands before getting off her bike and lifting it above her head, celebrating becoming the first woman in the modern era of the race, which began in 2022, to claim the Tour title twice.’

‘As she entered Nice, the 29-year-old was beaming and celebrated exuberantly. The victory had not been straightforward — it almost seemed remarkable that she had only worn the yellow jersey on the final day — but the first signs of what was to come had already been visible on the opening stage,’ the newspaper wrote, looking back to Lausanne, where Vollering recovered from a hesitation in the finale to finish second behind Lorena Wiebes.

‘Vollering built on that performance on stage five, where she took her first stage victory of the race. Friday's ascent of Mont Ventoux represented a small setback in an otherwise dominant Tour, with a tactical mistake contributing to her finishing behind Niewiadoma. But after her sensational spring campaign — during which she won four times, including the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège — the fairytale has now been completed.’