The 2025 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was Demi Vollering’s first Classic leading her new team FDJ-Suez, and it saw the Dutch cyclist ride this Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 to a fraught third place.
Having moved from the powerhouse team SD Worx-Protime, the fateful stand-off that plagues pro cycling ensued. The breakaway could stay up the road as Vollering, one of the race favourites, appeared to look to SD Worx-Protime to chase and SD Worx-Protime seemed to look to Vollering’s team to do the same.
This left the race to Lotte Claes of Arkéa-B&B Hotels, who was followed closely by Aurela Nerlo of Winspace Orange Seal. Vollering came in third, having eventually proved her strength over the Muur van Geraardsbergen.
0-degree offset seatpost
Look closely and you can see the 2023 Tour de France Femmes champion uses a 0-degree offset seatpost.
This is something Vollering has done with the Tarmac SL8 for some time. In fact, this is the bike she rode when she raced at SD Worx-Protime.
The Tarmac SL8’s geometry is firmly in race-bike territory. It has a 73.5-degree seat angle in Vollering’s 56cm frame size. But using a 0-degree offset seatpost will effectively make the seat angle more aggressive by placing Vollering further over the bottom bracket and possibly improving pedalling efficiency.
Vollering appears to be using a Specialized women’s Power Pro saddle on her bike. The £255 saddle uses Specialized’s Mimic technology, which is said to help saddles adapt to your body, thanks to multiple layers of material.
Look at that paintjob
Even if the race didn’t go her way, Vollering’s bike certainly wins on looks.
The tricolour marbling is bold and cuts against the usual blacks and plain paintjobs. But what do you expect from the only pro team that counts Nike among its sponsors?
It does, however, share something in common with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig’s World Championship Lapierre Xelius SL, with its red base and blue lightning bolt, even if it’s a bit more understated than that.
Like Ludwig’s bike, Vollering’s head tube is adorned with a motivational graphic that reads 'Tomorrow is decided today', which might’ve made for regretful thoughts on Sunday.
A conventional drivetrain – for pros, at least
This year’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad saw multiple riders use SRAM’s gravel drivetrain components. For instance, Lidl-Trek's Emma Norsgaard used a SRAM Red XPLR AXS gravel derailleur with a 13-speed cassette and a 1x aero chainring.
With Shimano supplying FDJ-Suez, Vollering stuck to a more conventional 2x Dura-Ace groupset. But her chainring choices were only conventional for pro riders. She paired a large 54-tooth outer chainring with a 40-tooth inner chainring, which she made use of when flying up the Muur, with its cobbles and 9.3 per cent gradient.
Tucked behind the chainrings is a K-Edge chain catcher to prevent the chain from dropping inside the small ring.
Roval wheels and Continental tyres
As Specialized’s component company, it’s unsurprising to see Vollering’s Tarmac SL8 rolling on Roval CLX Team wheels.
However, while Specialized provides the wheels and tyres for some of its other pro teams, FDJ-Suez uses rubber from Continental.
Vollering used 30mm-wide Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tyres set up tubeless. Continental claims this model of GP5000 is 20 per cent faster and 28 per cent stronger in the sidewalls than the previous model, as well as being 50g lighter.
This article previously stated Vollering was using a flipped seatpost but has been updated because she used a seatpost with a 0-degree offset.
