Setmana Valenciana: Demi Vollering dominant on debut with FDJ-Suez as Elisa Balsamo wins final stage

Race Results
By published

Vollering holds GC for all four days while Balsamo scores final pair of stage victories

Jump to:
Image 1 of 7
GANDIA SPAIN FEBRUARY 13 Demi Vollering of Netherlands and Team FDJ SUEZ celebrates at podium as Orange Leader Jersey winner during the 9th Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana 2025 Stage 1 a 112km stage from Alzira to Gandia on February 13 2025 in Gandia Spain Photo by Szymon GruchalskiGetty Images
Demi Vollering in the orange Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana leader's jersey(Image credit: Getty Images)

Demi Vollering won the Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana, celebrating her first stage race win of the 2025 season and her first overall success with new FDJ-Suez team. 

The final 132.5km stage to Alicante included some early climbs but ended with Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) winning the sprint after the breakaway was caught inside the final kilometre.  

Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) was second in the sprint, with Liane Lippert (Movistar) third.

Article continues below

Vollering won the open stage of the Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana on Thursday, gaining a vital lead in the overall classification on rivals Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and Anna van der Breggen (SDWorx-Protime).

The overall classification remained unchanged in the subsequent stages and so Vollering beat Reusser by 34 seconds, with van der Breggen third at 37 seconds.    

"I'm really happy with this win. It's my first race with the team and winning is always a very nice feeling," Vollering said.  

"There was a little concern about today's stage because there was a big breakaway. It was nice for us to have Nina Buijsman in the move and we really hoped it stayed away so she could take the win. But Visma were really keen to bring them back and that's what happened."

How it unfolded

A breakaway of nine riders eventually formed on the mid-stage Alto de Collao climb, forcing FDJ-Suez and the sprinters' teams to lead the chase for the final two hours. 

Amongst them were danger riders such as Bredewold, Spratt, Lore De Schepper, Buijsman and Aalerud. At one point, the nine riders had a lead of two and a half minute lead and seemed set to stay away and fight for the stag victory. 

However after the climb the best sprinters rejoined the peloton with their teammates and a pursuit match began on the fast road to Alicante.  The gap was still close a minute with 10km to go but Visma-Lease a Bike and other teams upped the speed. 

The catch came inside the final kilometre after a late tunnel. Movistar managed to lead out the sprint but Balsamo made sure she was on the wheels and then took the best line to the finish and produced another unbeatable burst of speed to win a second consecutive stage.   

Vollering finished safely in the peloton and was able to celebrate with her new FDJ-Suez teammates. 

Results

Results powered by FirstCycling

TOPICS
Stephen Farrand
Stephen Farrand
Editor-at-large

Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).

Latest on Cyclingnews