Dutch rider Demi Vollering secured her second Tour de France Femmes title on Sunday by winning the ninth and final stage, extending her own margin of victory to claim cycling’s biggest prize.

The 2023 champion raised her bike in the air moments after crossing the finish line in Nice comfortably ahead of Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion.

Niewiadoma-Phinney started Sunday’s stage eight seconds behind Vollering, who got a time bonus for winning the stage.

Knowing that she was well clear of her rival, Vollering began to celebrate as the line approached, raising her arm in triumph and then tapping her head with her finger to show her mental strength.

She finished the stage one minute four seconds ahead of Spaniard Paula Blasi Cairol and Niewiadoma-Phinney and, after collecting the time bonus, ended up one minute 18 seconds clear of Niewiadoma-Phinney overall.

Former Giro d’Italia champion Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy was third overall in the Tour — four minutes 29 seconds behind — after Marlen Reusser lost valuable time after crashing going downhill after the second of the day’s four climbs.

Niewiadoma-Phinney had it all to do on the final climb, especially with her rival sitting on her wheel, and was unable to pressure Vollering.

Vollering attacked about 800m from the top and dropped Niewiadoma-Phinney — as she did when winning Saturday’s eighth stage to take the overall lead from her rival.

Two years ago, Vollering missed out on Tour victory after finishing an agonizing four seconds behind Niewiadoma-Phinney on the last stage.

She made full amends this time.

The 29-year-old Vollering has now won five Grand Tours, including two Spanish Vuelta titles and the Giro d’Italia secured in June to join countrywoman Annemiek van Vleuten as the only other female cyclist to have won all three Grand Tours.

Each of the first three climbs on Sunday was 7.7km long with a 5.9 percent average gradient.

But the final ascent branched off onto a slightly different route which, even though it was shorter at 6jm, had a steeper average gradient of 7.6 percent with one portion stretching to a gruelling 12 percent.

It made little difference.

After winning Friday’s seventh stage with an impressive solo attack of her own up the iconic Mont Ventoux, Niewiadoma-Phinney seemed short of energy and Vollering’s lead was never under threat.