Cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prévot poses as a dark horse contender for the General Classification at the Tour de France Femmes, as she returns to the racing scene.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Triumphs at the Inaugural Tour de France Femmes
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, a 15-time UCI Elite World Champion, made a remarkable comeback to road cycling in 2025, culminating in her overall victory at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Riding for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, Ferrand-Prévot dominated the brutal Col de la Madeleine climb in Stage 8, capturing the Yellow Jersey and taking a significant lead in the general classification.
The French rider's supremacy was confirmed the next day when she won the final stage outright, finishing 20 seconds ahead of her nearest rival. This historic victory marked the first-ever Tour de France Femmes win by a French rider.
Ferrand-Prévot's 2025 season was marked by a strategic focus on optimizing her performance through controlled weight loss. Between Paris-Roubaix Femmes and the Tour, she lost about 4 kilograms, aiming to enhance her power-to-weight ratio for the demanding mountain stages. This approach, while successful in helping her achieve her lifetime goal of winning the Tour, sparked a broader conversation in women’s pro cycling about the pressures of weight management and the health risks involved.
Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM) is set to defend her title in the Tour de France Femmes, which starts on July 26 in Vannes, France. Demi Vollering, former Tour winner and last year's runner-up, is part of a strong FDJ-Suez team. SD Worx Protime has two GC cards to play in Anna van der Breggen and Lotte Kopecky.
Rutger Tijssen, team manager of Visma | Lease a bike, believes Ferrand-Prévot is ready for the challenge of the Tour de France Femmes. Marlen Reusser, Sarah Gigante, Elisa Longho Borgini, and Ferrand-Prévot herself are coming off strong showings at the Giro.
Ferrand-Prevot finds the mental aspect of road cycling challenging due to the prolonged focus required. However, she views the Tour de France Femmes as an opportunity for learning and growth within a long-term plan. She is open to making mistakes in 2022 to avoid repeating them in the future.
Ferrand-Prevot's childhood aspirations included participating in the Tour de France, which is now possible for women. She has been familiarizing herself with the course and adapting to riding in a fast and ever-moving peloton. Ferrand-Prevot expresses excitement rather than anxiety about racing in front of a French audience in the Tour de France Femmes.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won the Olympic cross-country mountain bike championship in 2021, and her return to road cycling was primarily motivated by the possibility of participating in the Tour de France. In 2024, she signed a three-year contract with Visma | Lease a bike with the goal of winning the Tour de France.
Ferrand-Prevot's comeback history features a dominant race-winning performance on challenging mountain stages, gaining and defending the Yellow Jersey late in the race, and sparking important dialogue on athlete health and performance standards in women’s cycling.
Sports have always been a significant part of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's life, with her victories in the Tour de France Femmes being a testament to her dedication and prowess. In the upcoming Tour de France Femmes, Ferrand-Prévot aims to learn and grow, viewing the competition as an opportunity for self-improvement, even if it means making mistakes along the way.
