Vollering noted that many riders hesitate to demand better conditions due to the sport's historical context.
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"I don't want to be known as the girl who only talks about menstruation. And sometimes I also regret that not more athletes speak out," she added.
She explained that the rapid evolution of women's cycling has left many competitors feeling grateful for professional opportunities.
"What I notice in the peloton, for example, is that everyone is very grateful that we even get beautiful races.
That we get a bit of broadcast time, that we get a salary. Because everyone also knows where we come from," said Vollering.
This gratitude often prevents riders from advocating for further improvements, she said: "I think that others then quickly feel burdened or too much to then also say in an interview: we want more."
Focusing on her main sporting objective, Vollering reiterated her ambitions: "Like I said, I'm a dreamer. And I'm not shy to dream big."
When asked about her current focus, she remained direct: "The races I want to win, so now first the Tour de France."
FDJ-Suez team manager Stephen Delcourt emphasized that the squad was built around their lead rider.
"Just like every year, but especially last year and this year, it is really very difficult to put together the selection, because we have a truly fantastic team and we have only one goal: the yellow jersey.
That is why we want the best riders around Demi, and not just the seven best riders, because especially in this Tour de France there are many stages in which we have to be very careful if we want to put pressure on the others," said Delcourt.
Born in Pijnacker in 1996, Vollering worked as a florist and trained as a speed skater before dedicating herself to cycling.
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She won the Tour de France Femmes in 2023 after taking the yellow jersey on the Col du Tourmalet stage and finished second overall in the 2025 edition.
