World Champion Vollering brought back down to earth by hefty penalty from the UCI

National team coach Laurens ten Dam had long been working on putting together a roster for the title race in Montréal. It became clear that all the focus was on Vollering: there was no room for a second leader. That plan was therefore put into action, with the Dutch women leading the pack all day long. At the 38-kilometer mark, it was Puck Pieterse’s turn; she brought the pack together and launched Vollering.

She broke away solo and immediately opened up a gap. But it turned out not to be the decisive move, as the chasers closed in closer and closer and even closed the gap with one lap to go. A thrilling battle ensued, in which Vollering and Niewiadoma proved to be the best. In the sprint, she was ultimately the fastest and finally claimed the world title she had wanted so badly.

It sparked a whirlwind of emotions, both for the winner and her teammates. There was a huge celebration on the podium, and I’m sure they went out on the town in Montréal for a while afterward. There was joy all around, but not long after, the brand-new world champion must have been left with a bitter taste in her mouth. Because the UCI decided to fine her.

This is because she allegedly adopted a non-compliant riding position during her performance. It is unclear when this is said to have occurred. What was wrong with the position is also not specified, but it is likely that it involved resting her arms on the handlebars. The fact is that the International Cycling Union has fined her 1,000 Swiss francs, issued her a yellow card, and deducted 25 UCI points.

The Dutch woman wasn't the only one: Katharina Sadnik of Austria received the same punishment.