Demi Vollering is in a lot of pain after her crash in the final stage of the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes. The favorite for the overall victory hopes to be able to get back on the bike on Tuesday, but her team could not provide any clarity on that.
Vollering crossed the finish line in Angers on Monday together with teammates Amber Kraak and Juliette Labous, long after winner Lorena Wiebes. The leader of FDJ-SUEZ did not respond herself. Only her team boss Stephen Delcourt spoke to the press.
“Demi is in pain,” Delcourt said at the FDJ-SUEZ bus. “That is logical after a crash at such a high speed. She is now completely in shock. She is suffering from her knee, her buttocks and her back. She wants to continue in the Tour, but she must first be examined by our doctor and then go to the hospital. It remains to be seen.”
Vollering was involved in a major crash about 4 kilometers from the finish. It took a while before she got back on. She also seemed to indicate after the finish that she had a headache.
“Demi has not yet had a test for a concussion, but that will happen in the next hour,” Delcourt said. “Our priority is Demi’s health. We are not going to take any risks with that. The good news is that she wanted to finish the race herself. We will know more tomorrow.”
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FDJ-SUEZ angry about ‘lack of respect’
Delcourt was angry and frustrated because of the crash in the nervous final of the sprint stage. “It seems that we have lost mutual respect in the peloton in the past year,” he said. “Many teams and riders are pushing forward and not paying enough attention to the safety of others.”
Vollering and her teammates were well in front of the peloton when the crash occurred in a bend to the right. “One rider took too much risk there and that could ruin our Tour,” Delcourt said.
The French team FDJ-SUEZ signed Vollering this season with the main goal of winning the Tour. The winner of 2023 is still well placed in the general classification after three stages, because the crash was within the last 5 kilometers. Vollering therefore received the same time as Wiebes.
That was the only good news for the South Holland native in Angers. “We are trying to stay positive,” Delcourt said. “But at the moment it is too early to say anything about the consequences for Demi. We need a good night.”