The Giro d’Italia Women should be Demi Vollering’s to lose, but Grand Tour domination has rarely come naturally to her – Analysis

Four years ago, Demi Vollering was widely regarded as the obvious successor to her compatriots Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen, stage racing specialists coming towards the end of their careers, whilst Vollering just started hers.

She was being mentored by Van der Breggen at SD Worx, was about to finish second behind Van Vleuten at the inaugural Tour de France Femmes, and showed all the signs of stepping into their shoes.