Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) has overhauled her 2026 race calendar, returning to the Giro d'Italia Women after a five-year absence while dropping her Vuelta Femenina title defence and cutting her projected pre-Tour de France race days from 29 to roughly 18. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift remains the season's primary target.
Vollering enters the Classics block in strong form, having defended her overall title at the Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana last week with two stage wins. She lines up at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday.
The most visible change is the addition of the Giro d'Italia Women, which runs from May 30 to June 7. A calendar shift moving the race earlier in the season unlocked the door.
"Because I need a high-altitude training camp to be at my best for the Tour, I couldn't ride the Giro in recent years," Vollering said in her pre-Omloop press conference. "Now that the Giro is scheduled earlier, I can do a training camp before the Giro and still have time before the Tour."
The Giro is the only Grand Tour Vollering has yet to win. She has been drawn in particular by Stage 8, which features the Colle delle Finestre, including 8km of gravel, before finishing in Sestriere. "I have never ridden the climb before, but the Finestre just looks really cool," she said. "Everyone knows the climb and I'm curious to see what it's like to go up there."
The route also includes a 12.7km uphill time trial to Nevegal and Dolomites stages over the Passo Tre Croci and Passo di Sant'Antonio, all of which suit a pure climber.
What changes, and why
In 2025, Vollering raced approximately 29 days before the Tour de France Femmes and struggled with fatigue during the Tour de Suisse. This year, roughly 18 race days are projected before August. The entire "Spanish block" of stage races, including the Vuelta Femenina, Itzulia Women, and Volta a Catalunya, has been removed in favour of structured training blocks and altitude camps.
Paris-Roubaix, despite Vollering's interest, is also out. The reasoning is likely fewer high-stress, high-damage race days to protect the Giro–Tour build.
The approach mirrors the template set by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma–Lease a Bike), who won the 2025 Tour de France Femmes off the back of only 16 pre-Tour race days. Vollering has studied the blueprint.
"I believe I can do it again, win the Tour de France," Vollering said. "I have to believe that it's really possible."
Demi Vollering's confirmed 2026 race calendar
Confirmed and targeted events for the season
Race | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| [Amstel Gold Race](internal://race/59ANA415S951gIfsm94fSQ) | ||
| [Dwars door Vlaanderen](internal://race/7K18w8CRH2auWCBO3fn9yr) | ||
| [Strade Bianche](internal://race/7K18w8CRH2auWCBO3fnB0F) | ||
| [World Championships](internal://race/P4YM6MJS2cdO223Yox6NT5) (Montreal) | ||
| Giro d'Italia Women | ||
| Itzulia Women / Volta a Catalunya | ||
| La Flèche Wallonne | ||
| La Vuelta Femenina | ||
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | ||
| Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | ||
| Paris-Roubaix | ||
| Setmana Ciclista Valenciana | ||
| Tour de France Femmes | ||
| Tour de Suisse | ||
| Tour of Flanders |
FDJ United-SUEZ has backed the plan. The team added Eva van Agt, formerly of Visma–Lease a Bike and part of Ferrand-Prévot's 2025 Tour-winning squad, to bolster Vollering's mountain support. The team's stated season goals are the Tour de France, maintaining the number-one UCI Team Ranking, and a major Spring Classic.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday will be Vollering's first cobbled Classic of 2026, followed by a Strade Bianche title defence on March 7. By the time the Ardennes triple arrives in late April, the shape of her spring, and the cost of the races she chose to skip, will be visible. The real answer comes in August.
Cover image credit: Thomas Maheux
