Valencia, Spain – Demi Vollering, the reigning Tour de France Femmes champion, begins her 2026 season this week at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, a four-stage Spanish stage race starting February 12th in Gandia. The Dutch rider, currently competing for FDJ–Suez, is widely considered the favorite to defend her overall title, which she secured at the same event last year with a 34-second advantage over Movistar’s Marlen Reusser.
Vollering’s return to Valenciana marks a continuation of a successful run in Spain, following victories in 2024 and 2025 at La Vuelta Femenina, as well as wins at Itzulia Women and the Volta a Catalunya. Ahead of the race, Vollering completed a focused reconnaissance ride last Friday, covering 152.5km over much of the challenging stage 3 course.
Stage 3, from Agost to La Nucia, is anticipated to be the decisive phase of the race, featuring 2,600 metres of elevation gain and ascents of the first-category Port de Tudons (15km at 5%) and the second-category Port de Confrides (6.4km at 4.8%). The stage concludes with a descent to the finish line.
The remaining stages present less formidable climbs. Stages 1 and 2 will see riders navigate 1,300 metres of elevation, while stage 4 includes 1,000 metres of climbing, highlighted by the second-category Port de l’Oronet (5.4km at 4.9%) positioned 31km from the finish.
Vollering, too the current European champion, joined FDJ–Suez in 2025 after previously riding for SD Worx from 2021 to 2024 and Parkhotel Valkenburg from 2019 to 2020. Her palmarès includes two Liège–Bastogne–Liège victories (2021, 2023), and Strade Bianche wins in 2023 and 2025.
While official team lineups are still being finalized, expected contenders include world champion Magdeleine Vallieres, Pauliena Rooijakkers of UAE Team ADQ, Liane Lippert (Movistar), and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal).
