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Follow us on GoogleThe Netherlands dominated the European Cycling Championships in Slovenia this afternoon. After excellent lead-out work, Puck Pieterse managed to set up Demi Vollering perfectly. The world champion from Montreal successfully won the race with Pieterse capped claiming the silver medal.
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"A wonderful second-place finish for Puck, so we have every reason to be proud"- Vollering’s first words in her flash interview.
Before she began talking about her own outstanding performance, the Netherlands' golden girl showed her gratitude to her teammates on the Dutch national team. But in a tribute you might have missed, the podium pair celebrated someone who wasn't riding today.
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Why did the duo tap their helmets?
Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed the way in which both Vollering—in the final kilometre—and Pieterse— as she crossed the finish line —celebrated their victories. As can be seen in the footage below, both women pointed to the back of their helmets.
Read more below the videos!
A different meaning to Vollering's previous head tapping celebration
In the past, Vollering has pointed to her head to signify the strength needed to overcome negative self talk and mental health struggles. She has often advocated for her own mental strength with this celebration, but today it was for a different reason.
Both women had a photo of national team coach Laurens ten Dam—the man who managed to bring the Dutch women’s team back together as a unit.
Keep reading below the photo!
Laurens ten Dam has helped to bring the team closer
In the photo, we see Ten Dam on his yellow scooter, which he used to scout the course in Montreal (and was kicked off the course).
"Laurens has been in close contact with everyone, and he’s shared a lot of that with me," team leader Vollering explained.
"Laurens has actually been keeping in close contact with everyone ever since he became national team coach. We’ve also had a team day and things like that,” Pieterse told us ahead of the World Championships.
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Clarice WebsterEditor
Clarice has been following cycling her whole life, wroting about Thibaut Pinot (among others) for her university magazine while earning her masters in Journalism. She is passionate about furthering equality in sports coverage, and has taken huge inspiration from pillars of women’s cycling like Beryl Burton, Marianne Vos, and Laura Kenny.
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Latest Comments
- - Un poco corto en la parte técnica de la bici de McNulty, no? Colnago nero con detalles arcoíris suena brutal — queremos más fotos, per favore.pedalpowe2902-10-2026
- - Demi finally gets her stripes! Team Oranje tactics on point again — recon, lead-out, and that patient regroup. Textbook. Chapeau.sprocketspiny02-10-2026
- - Wait, does the world champ jersey apply to all disciplines or just road race? Can McNulty wear it in a TT too, or is that only if he won the TT worlds?davidm02-10-2026
- - Brilliant coverage. The early flight back to beat jet lag is elite-level thinking. Those marginal gains matter before a punchy Euros course.samanthak02-10-2026
- - Not sure the “surprised everyone” line about McNulty is fair. He’s been knocking on the door all season in one-day races and TTs. Emilia in rainbows is going to slap.patriciaw02-10-2026
- - Love seeing the rainbow bands back on Slovenian roads. Demi looks sharp in that kit. Hope she gets a full custom bike soon, not just a tiny stripe under the seatpost. Come on, give the champ a proper paint job!cadencekingm02-10-2026
- - Quick one: why can’t McNulty wear the rainbow at Euros? Is it only for world champs from Europe or something about national teams vs trade teams?lindae02-10-2026
- - That Dutch masterclass was something else. Vollering timed that second move perfectly after the first dig didn’t stick. Proper teamwork — Wiebes and the crew deserve as much credit as Demi.julien02-10-2026
- - Boonen’s line about trusting teammates is gold. World’s is chess, not crit. Belgium tried to cover every scenario and covered none. Harsh lesson, but needed before next year.samanthak02-10-2026
- - Great read, but the piece leans a bit too harsh on Wout for me. He wasn’t at leader-level form, true, yet the team didn’t set up a plan B well enough. Segaert the bright spot, agreed.julien02-10-2026
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