Saturday was new kit day for the second time in a week for Demi Vollering. The new world champ wrapped up a remarkable season with another major championship win, taking the European road race title in Slovenia one week after winning the world championship. Add in the Tour de France Femmes and the FDJ Suez rider has had a helluva year. And although she was clad all year in white-and-blue, she won’t be able to wear it–but it will make for a solid training jersey. (Rainbow>Euro.)

The world champ made the winning move on the final climb of the 130-km race from Ljubljana to Šencur, riding clear of a select group and this time making it all the way to the finish alone.

Orange domination

Vollering had plenty of help before making her move. The Dutch team controlled the race through much of the day, with Lorena Wiebes doing plenty of the heavy lifting before the race reached the decisive local circuit.
The Mozjanca climb, 2.1 km which is a doozie averaging around 10.4 per cent, quickly reduced the field. Marlen Reusser helped split things up, with Vollering, Puck Pieterse, Kasia Niewiadoma, Elisa Longo Borghini, Antonia Niedermaier and Juliette Labous among the riders making the selection. You know who would have loved that lump? Local legends Tadej Pogačar and Urška Žigart, who are unfortunately spectators this year due to crashes and injury.

The winning move

On the final time up the climb, Pieterse killed it, thinning the group even further. Once Niewiadoma and Vollering could follow. Then, the world champion launched a perfect attack.
This time there was no catching her.

Vollering crossed the line alone to successfully defend her European title, adding another major win to a season that already includes the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Giro, the Tour de France and the world championship.

Pieterse won the sprint behind to take silver, with Reusser rounding out the podium.
Sunday is the elite men’s race–and the Euros continue with time trials and a mixed relay, too. Sure, there’s no Canucks (obvi) but there are plenty of big names duking it out as the road season comes to a close. And good news, you can watch all the races on Eurosportvision.