'It was perfect', Vollering wins her first Giro stage but Van der Breggen still controls pink after first mountain test

'It was perfect', Vollering wins her first Giro stage but Van der Breggen still controls pink after first mountain test

FDJ United-Suez executed a textbook tactical stage, placing Lauren Dickson in the breakaway before relaying her back to support Demi Vollering on the climbs. Van der Breggen kept the maglia rosa, but Niedermaier signalled she is ready for what comes next.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 5 min read

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) won stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia Women on Wednesday in Santo Stefano di Cadore, claiming her first-ever stage victory at the race after a 146km mountain test through the Dolomites with 3,400 metres of climbing.

Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx-Protime) finished second to hold the maglia rosa, while Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon SRAM) took third after looking among the most composed riders in the mountains all day.

FDJ United-Suez sent Lauren Dickson into the early breakaway, a move Vollering confirmed was planned from the start. "We wanted to have some riders of our team in the breakaway and we managed directly with Amber (Kraak) and Lauren, like the plan, and it was perfect," Vollering said after the stage in her TV interview.

It was clearly the plan from the off. Vollering and the other main GC favourites slowly made their way across to the leading group that was originally 30 riders strong but had shrunk to four when the catch was made. Dickson then played a key role for her leader and turned herself inside out to drop multiple big name rivals such as Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ).

"She did amazing work after on the flat and on the first part of the first climb again," Vollering said. "I maybe went a little bit too early, so in the end I could not really make a difference anymore on the climb. But it was a really nice day, like we really raced with everything we had and it was a real battle out there."

Vollering tried to attack on multiple occasions and did whittle down the field but could not distance Van der Breggen, Niedermaier or the white jersey of Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek). The four riders came to the line together and Vollering, by far the fastest in the reduced group, eased to the stage win and collected 10 bonus seconds. Van der Breggen took six bonus seconds of her own in second place.

Results

Longarone - Santo Stefano di Cadore • Jun 3

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Demi Vollering
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ4:23:47
🥈
Anna van der Breggen
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:00
🥉
Antonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
4
Isabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+0:02
5
Elisa Longo Borghini
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:15
6
Niamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+0:15
7
Marlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:53
8
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:53
9
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:53
10
Lore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:56
11
Urška Žigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+1:26
12
Valentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:26
13
Monica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+1:44
14
Nadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+5:02
15
Mireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+5:02
16
Lauren Dickson
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+5:36
17
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+6:55
18
Mie Bjørndal Ottestad
UNO-X MOBILITY+6:55
19
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+6:55
20
Maya Kingma
AROMITALIA VAIANO+6:55
21
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+6:55
22
Viktória Chladoňová
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+8:45
23
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+8:45
24
Thalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+8:52
25
Erica Magnaldi
UAE TEAM ADQ+8:52
26
Lucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+8:52
27
Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini
UAE TEAM ADQ+8:52
28
Cecilie Ludwig
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+8:52
29
Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM ADQ+8:52
30
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+8:52
31
Tiril Jørgensen
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+10:51
32
Rosita Reijnhout
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+13:01
33
Gaia Segato
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+13:01
34
Chiara Reghini
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+13:01
35
Sofia Arici
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+13:01
36
Caroline Andersson
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+18:02
37
Quinty Ton
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+18:02
38
Barbara Malcotti
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+18:02
39
Ana Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+18:02
40
Silvia Persico
UAE TEAM ADQ+18:02
41
Célia Gery
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+18:02
42
Becky Storrie
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+18:02
43
Debora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+18:02
44
Alena Amialiusik
UAE TEAM ADQ+18:02
45
Marte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+18:02
46
Kristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+19:39
47
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+22:15
48
Femke Gerritse
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+22:15
49
Amber Kraak
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+23:19
50
Stina Kagevi
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+23:19
51
Mareille Meijer
MOVISTAR TEAM+25:26
52
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+25:26
53
Yuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+25:26
54
Justine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+25:41
55
Eva van Agt
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+28:35
56
Teuntje Beekhuis
UNO-X MOBILITY+28:35
57
Fariba Hashimi
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+28:35
58
Vittoria Guazzini
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+28:35
59
Anastasiya Kolesava
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+28:35
60
Eleonora la Bella
AROMITALIA VAIANO+28:35
61
Daniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+28:35
62
Giulia Giuliani
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+28:35
63
Giulia Bisso
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+28:35
64
Elisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK+28:35
65
Alessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+28:35
66
Elena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+28:35
67
Mirre Knaven
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+28:35
68
Ilse Pluimers
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+28:35
69
Petra Zsankó
AROMITALIA VAIANO+28:35
70
Nina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+28:35
71
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+28:35
72
Irene Affolati
AROMITALIA VAIANO+28:35
73
Matilde Vitillo
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+28:35
74
Margaux Vigie
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+28:35
75
Pfeiffer Zara Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+28:35
76
Justyna Czapla
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+28:35
77
Ally Marée Wollaston
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+28:35
78
Georgia Baker
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+28:35
79
Solène Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+28:35
80
Caroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+28:35
81
Irene Cagnazzo
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+28:35
82
Sara Luccon
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+28:35
83
Naia Amondarain Gaztañaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+28:35
84
Lara Gillespie
UAE TEAM ADQ+28:35
85
Fleur Moors
LIDL - TREK+28:35
86
Silke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+28:35
87
Aude Biannic
MOVISTAR TEAM+28:40
88
Chiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+28:40
89
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+28:40
90
Soraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+28:40
91
Lily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+28:40
92
Alexandra Volstad
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+28:40
93
Valentina Venerucci
AROMITALIA VAIANO+29:02
94
Julie van de Velde
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+30:47
95
Alexis Magner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+32:28
96
Marina Garau Roca
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+32:28
97
Barbara Guarischi
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+32:28
98
Chantal Pegolo
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+32:28
99
Nienke Veenhoven
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+32:28
100
Lara Crestanello
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+32:28
101
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+32:28
102
Elisa de Vallier
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+32:28
103
Linda Zanetti
UNO-X MOBILITY+32:28
104
Cristina Tonetti
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+32:28
105
Robyn Clay
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+32:45
106
Sharon Spimi
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+32:45
107
Marta Pavesi
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+32:45
108
Gaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+32:51
109
Andrea Casagranda
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+32:51
110
Maggie Coles-Lyster
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+33:24
111
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+33:24
112
Alessia Zambelli
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+33:24
113
Rachele Barbieri
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+33:24
114
Martina Silvestri
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+33:24
115
Gladys Verhulst Wild
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+33:24
116
Susanne Andersen
UNO-X MOBILITY+34:03
117
Marthe Truyen
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+34:03
118
Christina Schweinberger
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+34:03
119
Millie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+34:03
120
Evy Kuijpers
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+34:03
121
Flora Perkins
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+34:03
122
Mylene de Zoete
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+34:03
123
Josie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+34:03
124
Charlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+34:03
125
Nora Jenčušová
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+34:03
126
Maike van der Duin
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+34:03
127
Fanny Bonini
AROMITALIA VAIANO+34:03
128
Valeria Curnis
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+34:50
129
Irma Siri
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+36:09
130
Sara Fiorin
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+38:33
131
Maria Apolonia van 't Geloof
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+38:33
132
Giorgia Serena
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+38:33
133
Eleonora Deotto
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+39:03
134
Camilla Bezzone
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+39:03
135
Ilaria Marinetto
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+39:03
136
Katelyn Nicholson
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+39:10

Dickson's role underlined how much FDJ's mountain support has grown. It is less than two years since the Briton burst onto the scene finishing second at the Lancaster GP in 2024 while riding for Edinburgh Racing Club. She is now a rider Vollering can depend on deep into the hardest stages.

Niedermaier signals mountain form

Niedermaier moved up onto the podium with a controlled and calculated ride as the German stayed with the front group as Reusser was distanced. The German climber rode smoothly through the mountain passes, making the decisive selection without visible distress. She tried to attack in the finale alongside Holmgren, knowing a sprint against Vollering would not favour her, but both were heavily marked and neither could escape.

"I'm feeling really good and it's just a lot of fun to ride in the climbs," Niedermaier told Eurosport after the stage. "I knew that I couldn't win the sprint, so I'm quite happy that I'm finally not the last person in the sprint."

Asked about the days ahead, Niedermaier pointed to the bigger mountain stages still to come. "I'm looking forward to the hard stages and especially for Colle delle Finestre," she said.

Niedermaier started the day 1:26 behind Van der Breggen on GC after the stage 4 uphill time trial to Nevegal, where Van der Breggen had been dominant. Stage 5 did change a reasonable amount of the overall hierarchy, without troubling the top rider, but it confirmed that Niedermaier can follow the accelerations of both Vollering and Van der Breggen when the road kicks up.

Behind the front four, Reusser lost 53 seconds and Longo Borghini finished 15 seconds down. Both limited their losses on a day that could have been worse, though Reusser's deficit to Van der Breggen, already over a minute after the time trial, continues to grow. Longo Borghini said after the stage that she is getting better day-by-day but is still missing that top form.

The time trial split the race up into a more certain list based on form while stage five showed that wit and guile also count for a lot and can shape races. FDJ United-Suez used it well, as did SD Worx-Protime by having Valentina Cavallar in the front group to drop back for Van der Breggen, but she didn't last as long as Dickson did. The GC has had another shuffle with teammates playing a key role. The team's post-stage mood reflected the effort. Dickson said: "I don't think I've ever had a harder day on the bike."

Stage 6 on Thursday is expected to suit the sprinters over flatter terrain. The race's toughest mountain stages, including the Colle delle Finestre and a finish in Sestriere, are still ahead in the final days of a nine-stage race that runs through June 7.

Cover image: RCS/ Davide Spada/LaPresse

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Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

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