The seconds that count (V/V)

Juliette Berthet: « With Demi, We Never Have Any Doubts. » (V/V)

A year and a half ago, Juliette Berthet (formerly Labous) joined FDJ United - Suez with the ambition of getting closer to the Yellow Jersey. Winning it is the team's stated objective for 2026, but the path has evolved from the original plans laid out by the French squad and the rider from Besançon. Now racing under her married name, after marrying Clément Berthet, she is targeting overall victory in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift by supporting her leader Demi Vollering, winner of the 2023 edition and runner-up in 2022, 2024 and 2025. The Frenchwoman is herself a regular top-10 finisher in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Her pedigree and abilities would make her a team leader in most squads. But within the powerhouse that is FDJ United - Suez, she naturally takes on a supporting role behind her Dutch leader: "Targeting the Yellow Jersey with Demi is both realistic and incredibly motivating."

Serving a former rival: “She Pushes Me to Another Level”

Early champions, Juliette Berthet and Demi Vollering have known each other for a long time. The Frenchwoman turned professional in 2017, while the Dutch rider, two years younger, followed suit in 2019. But the two were already racing against each other in 2018, when the future Oranje star’s club, Swabo Ladies, was invited to the Brabantse Pijl. Since then, their paths have crossed regularly, first as rivals and then as teammates. During the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, they will surpass the milestone of 200 race days together, around 30 of them in the same colours. “At first, we were at a fairly similar level, then she really took off in 2023 (17 victories, including the overall title at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift),” recalls Juliette Berthet, an admiring former rival. “With her determination to always be at her best, you could really see that she was a great champion.”

When she joined the FDJ United – Suez project ahead of the 2025 season, Juliette Berthet was looking for the keys to challenge Vollering. The rider from Besançon reached an agreement with Stephen Delcourt’s team as early as the spring. But a few weeks later, the French manager was presented with a golden opportunity to sign the rider who was battling Lotte Kopecky for the status of world number one and leader of Team SD Worx. “When I heard the rumours, I was a little concerned,” admits Juliette. “I wasn't sure what my place would be with Demi on the team. So I immediately asked Stephen whether it was true. He found exactly the right words to convince me straight away: ‘It's better to have her with us than against us.’”

“That really was a turning point for me,” the Frenchwoman continues. “Either way, if she’s stronger, I might as well try to understand how she works. I told myself she would push me to become a better rider. And that’s exactly what happened. If you look at my results, my best performances have come when I’ve been racing with Demi. I’d also like to perform at my best when she’s not there, but the fact is that she pushes me to another level, and I think we’ll build on that even more in the future.”

Targeting the 2026 Yellow Jersey: “It’s Realistic and Incredibly Motivating”

FDJ United – Suez signed Demi Vollering with one objective above all else: to win the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. An impressive run of victories further fuelled confidence ahead of the 2025 edition, but the Dutch rider ultimately came up short against Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and finished second overall. “Last year, Pauline was simply the strongest,” acknowledges Juliette Berthet, who also remembers the setbacks the team endured during the race: “I crashed during the neutral start of the opening stage. Demi had a heavy crash at the end of Stage 3. It wasn’t an easy week, but we stayed united. We came away from it proud of what we achieved together. That was really important.”

In August 2026, the mission is clear: put Vollering back on the top step of the Tour podium. “There’s pressure, but that’s also why we ride bikes and push ourselves in training every single day—to experience moments like these. When things get tough, we think about the Tour and tell ourselves that all the hard work will pay off. It’s incredibly motivating. We’re already fortunate to have a Tour de France, and it’s always an honour to race it. And it’s not unrealistic to aim for the Yellow Jersey with Demi, because she’s already won the Tour de France. It’s realistic and incredibly motivating”

“Demi has already done recons of all the key stages” adds Juliette Berthet, who is herself looking forward to the individual time trial (Stage 4) and the grand finale in Nice. “With her, there’s never any doubt,” the Frenchwoman insists. “This year, she especially impressed me at the Giro. Mentally, on the final stage, she was incredible to turn everything around. A lot can happen during the Tour, but it’s always a good thing to arrive with momentum on your side.”

All that remains is to turn that momentum into victory in yellow on Sunday, 9 August, in Nice.