Outgoing winner Demi Vollering looks forward to revamped Strade Bianche

Outgoing winner Demi Vollering looks forward to revamped Strade Bianche

"It will be a leaden edition"

29/02/2024

Last year's win in the Strade Bianche marked the start of the 2023 dream season for Demi Vollering. The Italian classic over the white gravel roads therefore has a special place in Vollering's heart. "I had set my sights on this race. What stays with me most of all is how we dominated as a team. That's why I don't see it as my victory, but that of the whole team. It would be very nice to add the Strade Bianche to my palmares a second time. The redrawn final may well play into our hands, as it makes the race even tougher."

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Last year, Lotte Kopecky and Demi Vollering sprinted for victory in the Strade Bianche, with the top Dutch rider taking the win. "It was a loaded win. One I am proud of. The Strade Bianche gave me a boost and the self-confidence I needed. It was a very crazy race. On the one hand because of that horse that suddenly ran on the course before me, but also because of the sprint with Lotte. In the end, that only made us stronger as a duo. What I appreciate about her is her fighting spirit. The sprint in the Strade made me realise that I have that in me too."

"It feels like the Strade Bianche has brought us closer together," Vollering continued. "It has strengthened our collaboration. I really enjoyed going for the highest possible together with Lotte every race last season. It also never felt like we had to 'divide' races. It went very naturally. She won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, I was the best in the Strade Bianche. She won Ronde van Vlaanderen, after which I triumphed again in the Amstel Gold Race."

After a successful 2023, Vollering is also hungry to start this season. "Everyone is starting from scratch again. We shouldn't make comparisons with last year. The goal remains the same: to improve myself and try to be the best. In the Strade Bianche, Team SD Worx-Protime will be looking for its first classic win of 2024. In Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, we just missed out. If I was in the first group, it might have been different. But still we showed a strong race. So I don't feel we are weak now. We are as strong as ever and the opening weekend has put us on edge again."

"The revamped course of the Strade Bianche might play into our hands. We are doing the last three steep final strips twice. That means more kilometres, more altimeters and more gravel. So that will be spicy. It makes the race a lot tougher and the Strade was already leaden."

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