Cycling. United collective, consensus-making leader: how FDJ United

The successes have been stacking up for the FDJ United – Suez team at the beginning of the 2026 season. With Elise Chabbey (winner of the Strade Bianche), Franziska Koch (Paris-Roubaix), and especially Demi Vollering (Tour of Flanders, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège), the French team experienced an incredible spring. “Beyond all expectations,” notes general manager Stephen Delcourt.

Confidence is high within the team as they head into the Tour of Spain starting this Sunday in Marin, Galicia. Even though Demi Vollering will not be participating, as she will be racing in the Tour of Italy from May 30 to June 7, the FDJ United – Suez team is aiming for stage wins and a good overall ranking with Juliette Berthet and Evita Muzic, as stated by Delcourt.

At the top of the UCI rankings, even in the absence of their Dutch leader, the team’s director aims to build on the recent work to shine in the Pyrenees. “Beyond the results, I liked the way things were done. Our team spirit is strong. Demi [Vollering] deserves a lot of credit for bringing everyone together,” he praised.

Despite being the fifth budget in the women’s peloton, behind UAE, Lidl-Trek, Canyon, and SDWorx, FDJ United-Suez currently holds the top spot in the UCI rankings. “We are clearly in a momentum, we are working hard for it,” continued Delcourt, leading a team still chasing the ultimate goal: a victory in the Tour de France.

Already a winner of the Grande Boucle in 2023 with SD Worx, Demi Vollering (29 years old) will be the main rival of French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in this year’s Tour, set to take place between Lausanne and Nice. Even though PFP didn’t perform as well in the Ardennes Classics (7th in La Flèche, 22nd in Liège), Delcourt believes she will be at the same level as last year’s Tour, and they are working to narrow the gap.

After a mid-May training camp in Sierra Nevada, Vollering will tackle the Giro and possibly the Tour de Suisse before altitude training in Tignes in July.

These weeks will also be used to consider extending Vollering’s contract, which expires at the end of the season. Delcourt wants to offer her a deal worthy of her talent, as she is seen as a standout athlete deserving a different contract. In this regard, a new sponsor like Red Bull could strengthen the team’s financial structure and potentially sponsor the athlete personally.

While awaiting these discussions and the grand event in August, the manager emphasizes that “the current priority is the Vuelta.” With Juliette (who has been in the top 5 twice before) and Evita, whose spring was disrupted by a virus but now has the chance to move past that difficult period, the FDJ United – Suez team is determined to remain in the spotlight.