'Anxiety can make you feel stuck and isolated': Demi Vollering reveals mental health struggles during Tour de France Femmes

Dutch rider says she 'hit a breaking point' during last year's race due to being 'weighed down by pressure'

Demi Vollering has opened up on her struggles with mental health during last year’s Tour de France Femmes and says she battled with anxiety on the penultimate stage due to Le Grand Bornand due to being "weighed down by pressure".

Vollering was one of the hot favourites for victory in last year’s race but was involved in a crash on stage five which left her with a fractured tailbone. She also lost the leader’s yellow jersey to the eventual race winner, Kasia Niewiadoma, and found herself more than a minute down in the general classification.

Vollering revealed in a social media post that the pressure she felt going into the final two stages of the race was too much to cope with at times. However, despite winning the final stage to Alpe d’Huez, the comeback didn’t materialise and Niewiadoma beat her to overall victory by four seconds.

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old revealed that simply finishing the stage at Le Grand Bornand was a triumph in itself given her personal anguish on the road.

"This was one of the toughest days of my career," Vollering wrote. "Physically, I was still recovering from a crash earlier in the week. Mentally, I was weighed down by pressure—from the media, my team, my loved ones, and from myself. Everyone kept asking how I was feeling, and while I tried to stay positive, inside I was scared and uncertain.

"During the race, I hit a breaking point. It’s hard to describe what it felt like, but anxiety took over, and my thoughts spiralled. I couldn’t focus. I felt like I was letting everyone down. For the first time, I couldn’t just pedal through it alone."

She continued: "Even though I couldn’t fully explain what I was feeling, just saying ‘I’m not okay’ helped ease the weight I was carrying. Mischa didn’t try to fix it or brush it off; she simply stayed with me, reminding me that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and that I wasn’t alone.

"That day, I realized how important it is to talk about what we’re going through. Anxiety can make you feel stuck and isolated, but sharing your feelings—even when it’s hard—can be the first step toward relief.

"Looking back, I realize this was one of my biggest wins—not just because I finished 3rd, but because I overcame one of the hardest moments I’ve faced. For me, this might have been my most meaningful personal victory in the entire Tour de France Femmes."

Vollering explained that later that day she got her period which complicated the experience further.

"Hormones can amplify emotions, and with the pressure I was already feeling, it was a lot to handle,” she said. “ It’s a reminder that our bodies and minds are deeply connected, and sometimes, things are just beyond our control."

"I’m sharing this because I know many, especially young people, carry the weight of expectations and pressure. It’s not easy to talk about these things, but the more we do, the more we can break down the stigma around mental health," she added.

"We’re all human. We all face battles. And no matter how big or small they seem, they matter."

The Dutchwoman moved to FDJ Suez in one of the most talked about transfers of the cycling off-season and is likely to lead her new team at the Tour de France Femmes this year. The 28-year-old also shared three pieces of advice "to anyone struggling with anxiety or pressure".

"If you can, talk to someone you trust. Even a small conversation can make a difference," Vollering said. "Be kind to yourself. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, and you don’t need to have it all figured out. Remember, it’s not about fixing everything at once—it’s about taking small steps forward, at your own pace."