Demi Vollering wanted to win the Giro at all costs. On the eve of the race, she was the clear favorite and among the bookmakers there seemed to be no shadow of a possible rival who could challenge her. Then the pink race went in a direction that even she would not have expected and so the Dutch champion had to literally go all-in to overturn the situation. Yesterday morning in Saluzzo she had 49" to make up on her mentor and then rival Anna Van der Breggen, an advantage that on one hand was small, but on the other hand truly significant given that the great mountains were now behind them. Two stage wins but still no pink jersey, she had only one chance left and had to make the most of it.

«Saturday evening our team manager Lars Boom came to our table and told us these exact words: "girls get ready because tomorrow we're facing a long and very hard battle to take the pink jersey". I thought the Giro was already decided, but my teammates wanted to try, they kept telling me that I could only stop believing at the finish line. From the start of the stage they tried to attack and their spirit really inspired me, I had to go all-in, I had to risk losing even my second place in the standings, only that way would I have the drive to give my maximum. I tried to push Anna beyond her limit and then I played my last chance on the Brondello climb, in my head the finish line was at the top of the mountain pass, I had to drop her at all costs, only after cresting the climb could I catch my breath.» Demi explains, describing how she found the strength to give literally everything from the determination of her teammates.

On a day that will certainly remain in cycling history, we saw a completely emotional Demi, a "deminator" incredulous of her third crown and as if liberated from an enormous weight that had been carrying her since the start of the race. The pressure from the media, particularly the Dutch media, was intense, but the conviction to achieve the maximum came above all from herself. When we ask her how she managed all those expectations, Demi pauses and allows herself tears that, by her own admission, she had been holding back for some time. She doesn't beat around the bush and tells us things as they are: on the Colle delle Finestre she expected to take the pink jersey and failing to do so was a hard blow. «Before starting the Giro I had so much pressure on me, I expected to win, I wanted to wear the pink jersey as soon as possible, and not managing it in the penultimate stage devastated me, I was convinced it was over- Then my coach told me I shouldn't give up, I still had one day at my disposal and I had to believe in it. When I woke up Sunday morning I told myself that the harder it was, the more beautiful the victory would be, I had to believe until the end. It was beautiful to test myself this way, to push to the limit both myself and my opponents, I literally tried everything»

Part of the success of her Giro is due to the almost reckless action of Antonia Niedermaier, Elisa Longo Borghini and Niamh Fisher Black. In the final 30 km of the race Demi found them in her way and then after the finish line she thanked them one by one with sincere gratitude as a sign of recognition.  «I loved Elisa's spirit in this Giro, she was coming from a difficult period, but she never gave up and she proved it on the last day too. I really have to thank her, Niamh and Antonia, if I conquered the pink jersey it's also thanks to them. When I reached them I immediately said I would push to the end and that I wasn't interested in the stage win, they could have sat on my wheel and stopped collaborating, but they didn't, they proved to be true athletes and I don't think I'll ever thank them enough.» concluded Demi, who now enters the select group of triple crown winners. It will take some time to realize it, but in the meantime the Dutch champion has already planned her next moves because she has no intention of stopping.