Double success for Team SD Worx-Protime in Tour de Romandie with Vollering and Kopecky

Sports manager Danny Stam: ‘This was an impressive ride from our team. We were not allowed to ride with communication today. We knew that the final climb suited Demi Vollering very well. Our plan was to lure the other teams out of their tent and let the competition try to ride us off. They tried to do that, but they didn’t manage to drop us. In the end, five riders remained, three of them from our team. Then it was time to try to make the difference ourselves in the last part of the climb. Niamh Fisher-Black first took the initiative, was countered but managed to come back as it stalled at the front. After which she tried again and Realini took the initiative. Demi countered that attack, whereupon Lotte fought her way back into the race. In the end, Lotte and Demi were out alone.’Winner Demi Vollering: ‘It was hot today. That made the last climb extra tough. Whether I was surprised that Lotte Kopecky went so far along? A little maybe. On the other hand: this obviously suits her perfectly. The pace went out continuously, followed by acceleration. She is just good at those tempo changes. I had set my sights on the stage win. In the sprint I wanted to finish it off. Of course it is always strange to sprint against a teammate, but this is the fairest. Then it really is woman-to-woman. For a moment I thought I had already dropped her, but just before the line she appeared next to me. It scared me for a moment, but luckily I was able to win anyway.’In the general classification, world champion Lotte Kopecky leads by two seconds ahead of her teammate Demi Vollering. Kopecky: ‘I am satisfied after today’s ride. Climbing is still a voyage of discovery for me. Every long climb I do now in a race is discovering how far I will get and what I can do. Today I had a good, new experience because I felt pretty good. Ten kilometres at eight per cent is not easy. So I am happy with the climb I did.’Sports manager Danny Stam: ‘For Demi and Lotte to finish as one and two in such a tough stage is a very nice result,’ Stam continued. ‘We are obviously very happy with this win for Demi Vollering. With Lotte and Demi, we also have the numbers one and two in the general classification. That’s a great starting position for the final stage. We will do everything we can to win this stage race for the third consecutive year with Team SD Worx-Protime.’