Vollering’s victory in last year’s Tour de France Femmes came after a sensational solo win on the penultimate mountain stage.

In Rotterdam, she produced a dominant time trial performance she said she “didn’t see coming”, which gives her the leader’s yellow jersey with her favoured terrain in the mountains still to come at the weekend.

Given how short the course was, her margin of victory by five seconds over American 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Chloe Dygert was decisive.

Britain’s Anna Henderson, who won time trial silver in Paris, finished 11 seconds down on Vollering in 10th and is now 11th overall.

Olympic time trial champion Grace Brown could not contend for the stage victory after the Australian required a bike change.

“I had no idea I could do this,” said Vollering. “I really wasn’t even thinking of the podium.

“It’s nice that I have the yellow jersey. It’s up to the other teams to take it.”