After defeat to Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-Sram) at La Flèche Wallonne Femmes, Demi Vollering (SDWorx-ProTime) recognised she had lost to the better rider on the day, but insisted that she would be back in contention for her next title defence at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.
“The Mur de Huy never lies,” Vollering told reporters after finishing second, but also said that “I’m very happy with my form."
"I already felt much better in Amstel Gold and today even more so. I hope this feeling continues.
“I hope my improvement continues, but my top priorities are still some way into the season. We have to keep that in mind.”
Vollering paid tribute to her toughest rival’s performance, saying in a team press release that "It's nice for Kasia to win now. She always attacks in races and she had the punch to get away."
"I was hoping her legs would explode in the last hundred meters so I could come back. But she was very strong."
Vollering argued, in any case, that the easier courses both at Amstel Gold - restarted with only 55 kilometres of racing a serious accident involving a police motorbike driver - and at Flèche Wallonne had done her no favours.
“Amstel wasn’t as tough as I’d hoped for, but I can understand the organization's decision. When someone's life is at stake, cycling is a sideshow,” she said.
“In the Flèche Wallonne, the course change is not in my favour. With the extra climbs that were still in it in recent years, the race would certainly have been better for me."
Regarding the last of the Ardennes Classics, where she will still be on the hunt for a first victory this season, Vollering added, “It’s a different race, Liège is always very hard. I'm satisfied with my form and looking forward to Sunday."
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