Demi Vollering Outlasts Kasia Niewiadoma to Claim Omloop Nieuwsblad Victory

Demi Vollering (FDJ Suez) secured a hard-fought victory at the 2026 Omloop Nieuwsblad, sprinting to success after a decisive move alongside Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM Zondacrypto) on the Muur van Geraardsbergen. Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime) completed the podium, finishing third.

A Duel on the Muur

The decisive move came on the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen, where Vollering and Niewiadoma established a gap over the chasing pack. Niewiadoma initially caught Vollering’s group at the base of the climb and even led over the summit, but the duo quickly established a five-second advantage over their rivals.

Vollering’s Power Prevails in the Sprint

The pair collaborated effectively throughout the remainder of the race, maintaining their lead as they approached the finish in Ninove. Inside the final 500 meters, Niewiadoma attempted a tactical maneuver by sitting on Vollering’s wheel, but the European champion proved too strong, launching a powerful sprint with 200 meters to go and opening a significant gap.

Wiebes Claims Third

Lorena Wiebes led the chase group, ultimately securing third place 21 seconds behind the leading duo. Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team), Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez), and several other riders followed closely behind.

Vollering Reflects on the Victory

“It feels good. It is really nice to finish it off here today,” said Vollering after the race. Having finished second in 2022 and third in 2023, she expressed pride in finally taking the win. “It was a bit my own expectations also that I would do it, but still to do it makes me proud. And also the team did really a good job.”

Vollering explained that FDJ Suez’s strategy centered around a full-gas effort on the Muur. “In the end we were a bit stuck and I found a place to move up. So I was first alone on the front, but then Francie [Franziska Koch] came from the back and she did the first part of the Muur perfectly. We already had a gap so I just continued as hard as possible. Then I just saw on the top who was left with me and it was only Kasia, then it was just full gas to the Bosberg and then full gas over the Bosberg and full gas to the finish.”

Niewiadoma’s Strong Showing

Kasia Niewiadoma, a long-time rival of Vollering, demonstrated strong climbing form throughout the race. Despite being unable to match Vollering’s power in the sprint, she expressed satisfaction with her podium finish. “I’m definitely happy to start the Classics with a podium,” she said. “Of course it is hard to be again watching a winner just in front of me, but Demi was very strong and super-fast at the end.”

Niewiadoma acknowledged a challenging race, marked by crashes and challenging conditions. “Leading towards the Muur, I didn’t have the best position. There was a crash just before that, and so I spent a lot of energy trying to just get to the front and then make it over. It was a perfect Classic day – chaotic, rainy, windy, cold, so I am happy that we finished it up with the podium.”