Vollering explains celebratory gesture after second place: "Wasn't sure if there was someone ahead of me"

"I had no idea, so I just celebrated; like, I don't know. I thought there was still someone ahead of me, but I wasn't sure. At that moment, you no longer get any communication, and they also didn't know anything in the car," Vollering explains to NOS why she crossed the finish line cheering.

Thanks to her second place, Vollering also captured bonus seconds, something Van Vleuten failed to do with a fourth-place finish. "It was a painful battle. Today was really a long stage and also very tough. It was so draining that no one could really make a difference anymore. In the end, I was able to pass them on the final stretch and I'm happy about that."

In the finale Lotte Kopecky attacked and managed to break away. "She was supposed to be a springboard for me. However, everyone saw it coming. They let Lotte go and were unfortunately only focused on me. That was a pity. In the end, I think we made the best of it as a team," Vollering concludes.