Demi Vollering (Team SD Works) feared no one in the time trial at the Tour de France women's final in Pau, winning on the summit of Tourmalet on stage 7, beating rivals Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) and Annemiek van Fruten (Movistar Team) by a few minutes to take the yellow jersey.

Vollering, who finished second in the time trial and took the stage podium flanked by teammates Marlen Reusser and Lotte Kopecky, topped the overall podium. He finished second overall and took the green jersey with Kopecký. Such overwhelming strength was unimaginable for Vollering, and it took some time for it to sink in.

"I hadn't had time to really feel it yet. After the Tourmalet stage, I arrived at my hotel at 11:30, had a massage and a shower, and went straight to bed and tried to sleep. But I couldn't sleep," Volering said at the Tour victory press conference.

"Maybe I noticed a little bit then. But I was still focused and busy with everything. I checked my phone a little bit this morning, but I didn't read through all the messages. I think I need to relax and calm down with my family for the next two days to understand what happened."

Kopecky brightened the press conference with a question about who Volering's favorite teammate was.

As dominant as the SD Volks were in this Tour, it was hard to pick a team: four riders won four of the eight stages, Kopecký and Vollering held the yellow jersey from start to finish, finishing first and second in GC, and the green jersey Kopecky and Vollering held the yellow jersey from start to finish. They did this despite a 20-second time penalty for Vollering and the exclusion of Danny Stamm.

"It's amazing what we did this week. We had a lot of ups and downs, but mostly ups and downs. I think we proved how strong our team is and how motivated we are to do our best every day and win a stage. And all of us are making each other stronger," Vollering said.

This strength allowed Vollering to drop Van Vleuten on the Tourmalet pass, putting her a few minutes ahead.

"Yesterday I was a little surprised. I was a little surprised yesterday. I knew I was doing a very good climb, but during the race I was only thinking about myself and concentrating on making as much time as possible," Vollering said.

"When Kasia and Annemiek crossed the line, I was surprised at my gap. When Kasia and Annemiek crossed the line, I was surprised at my gap. I was a little more relaxed going into the time trial."

Vollering took the yellow jersey by 3:03 over Kopecký and Nieviadoma. Van Vleuten, who will soon retire, finished fourth, 3:59 behind Vollering in his final Tour de France femme.