Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky delivered strong performances on Stage 2 of the 2024 Tour de Romandie Féminin, pushing good watts on the Vercorin climb. Vollering won the stage in a close sprint against Kopecky, who took over the race lead.
SD Worx brought Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky to the Tour de Romandie. It was Vollering’s first race after the Tour de France, and the Vercorin climb was suited to the Dutch climber. The day was relatively easy before the final climb, with Juliette Labous spending 1,118 kilojoules over 2 hours and 23 minutes at 9.13 kj/kg/h.
The tempo on the climb was inconsistent as no single team took control of the pace. SD Worx had Vollering, Kopecky, and Niamh Fisher-Black, but no domestiques to assist, and Kopecky may be the only one staying on the team after 2024, as Fisher-Black has signed a deal with Lidl-Trek through 2027. AG Insurance-Soudal had a strong trio with Sarah Gigante, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, and 18-year-old Lore De Schepper, all of whom finished in the top 10. Moolman-Pasio was active at the start of the climb.
For some time, Mavi García and Vollering rode at the front of the group. The Spanish climber attacked with 4 km to go, and Vollering further reduced the group, leaving Gaia Realini, García, Kopecky, and Fisher-Black on her wheel. With 1.5 km remaining, Realini was left alone with three SD Worx riders and attacked, dropping Fisher-Black. Just before the final kilometer, Vollering countered with a strong attack, but Kopecky was able to close the gap. Vollering continued her effort to the finish line, narrowly beating her teammate in a close sprint. Thanks to her second-place finish the previous day, Kopecky took the race lead, while Vollering is two seconds behind.
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Despite the inconsistent pace on the climb, the SD Worx stars still put in strong performances on Vercorin. Vollering completed the climb in 32 minutes and 14 seconds, averaging 5.21 ᵉW/Kg, while Kopecky, who spent more time drafting, averaged 5.16 ᵉW/Kg and benefited from an easier day before the Vercorin climb compared to Vollering. Realini, García, Fisher-Black, and Labous all pushed between 5.00 and 5.08 ᵉW/Kg.
Both Kopecky and Vollering delivered high-level performances. Over the last two seasons, Vollering has excelled on many climbs and has been the best climber with limited team support, in the 2024 races. Kopecky, following her success at the 2023 Tour, has continued to perform well on Jebel Hafeet, Blockhaus, and now Vercorin—her best climbing performance of 2024, although the Blockhaus stage was tougher and hotter. Vollering’s best effort remains the final 6 kilometres of the Col du Tourmalet, where she launched a decisive attack and delivered an outstanding high-altitude performance. When adjusted for sea level, it equates to 6.01 ᵉW/Kg SLP for 21 minutes, the highest performance in our database and the modern era.