The Rise of the Women’s WorldTour: Longo Borghini and Vollering’s Changing of the Guard

Women’s professional cycling is undergoing a revolutionary transformation. With the founding of the “Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift” in 2022—the official return of the women’s Tour de France—media visibility, salaries, and race scale in women’s road racing are all rapidly improving. In this exciting era, two riders with distinctly different styles are jointly writing the most brilliant chapter in women’s road racing: Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini and the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering.

Women’s UCI WorldTour Overview

Women’s WorldTour races expanded rapidly in the 2020s, with the number of race days and distances in major events both increasing, while the UCI has gradually raised the minimum salary.

Elisa Longo Borghini: Italy’s Evergreen

Born in 1991, Longo Borghini is a rare “all-rounder” in women’s road racing, appearing among the winners across different terrains. She represents Lidl-Trek and has a career spanning over fifteen years, still maintaining top-tier competitiveness.

Signature achievements:

• Olympic bronze medal (Rio 2016)
• Multiple Strade Bianche Women’s race titles
• Giro Donne champion
• Multiple spring classic podiums

Her riding style is known for resilience, excelling at maintaining climbing ability after repeated surges—a true all-rounder. At Italian domestic races, the fans’ enthusiasm for her is no less than that of Pogačar’s supporters.

Demi Vollering: The Dutch Swallow’s Prime Era

Born in 1996, Vollering is currently one of the most complete team leaders in women’s road racing, representing SD Worx-Protime. In 2023, she won the Tour de France Femmes with overwhelming dominance, firmly establishing her status at the top of the world.

Vollering’s technical characteristics:

• Climbing ability: Her timing of attacks in high-mountain stages is extremely precise, often surging suddenly when opponents let their guard down
• Time trialing: Her time trial ability ranks among the upper tier of elite women riders, capable of gaining time gaps in TT stages
• Tactical intelligence: Skilled at leveraging SD Worx’s multi-leader team tactics, conserving energy within the collective lead-out
• Mental toughness: The calmness and composure she displays repeatedly in front of broadcast cameras is her unique personal trait

SD Worx: The Most Powerful Collective Roster in Women’s Road Racing

SD Worx-Protime is the strongest team in contemporary women’s road racing, simultaneously fielding multiple world-class riders: Vollering, Lotte Kopecky, Christine Majerus, and others, allowing them to flexibly divide roles across different races and maximize results.

A Viewing Guide for Taiwanese Female Cycling Fans

Broadcast resources for the Women’s WorldTour have improved dramatically in recent years:

• GCN+: Provides full live coverage of the Women’s WorldTour, at the same monthly fee as men’s racing
• Eurosport: Broadcasts most major European races
• Official YouTube channels: All major races provide highlight videos

Taiwan time difference reference:
Most women’s races finish in the European afternoon, which is usually 8–11 PM Taiwan time—relatively friendly for following the racing.

Why Taiwanese Female Cycling Fans Should Follow the Women’s WorldTour

The Women’s WorldTour offers a viewing perspective different from men’s racing:

1. A physical power feel closer to amateur levels: While elite women riders’ absolute speeds are lower than men’s, their power-to-weight ratios (W/kg) are equally impressive and easier to understand
2. More diverse winning strategies: Breakaway success rates are higher in women’s racing, with more varied tactics
3. More compact stage formats: The 8-stage Tour de France Femmes is easier to follow from start to finish than the men’s 21-stage version

Conclusion

Longo Borghini’s career represents the historical depth of women’s road racing, while Vollering’s rise represents the present and the future. Their coexistence is the most beautiful hallmark of this era in women’s cycling. For Taiwanese female cycling fans, following them is not just about appreciating the beauty of sport—it’s about seeing that: with enough courage and training, cycling can take you anywhere.

Related Reading

• The Rise of Women’s Cycling: Stories of Taiwanese Female Riders
• The Rise of Women’s Cycling: The History of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, Rider Salaries, and Media Attention
• The Rise of Women’s Professional Cycling: The Rapid Development of the UCI Women’s WorldTour
• The Rise of Women’s Professional Cycling: Key Breakthroughs and Milestones of the 2026 Season