Uncovered Facts About Tour de France Femmes Winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot You May Not Have Known
News Article: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's Journey in Cycling
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, a veteran of four Olympic Games, has made a significant mark in the world of cycling. The French cyclist turned professional in 2012 and has since amassed an impressive palmarès, with her mountain biking feats making up the biggest part. She boasts 14 MTB world titles across various disciplines, including cross-country, marathon, short track, and team relay.
Ferrand-Prévot's cycling career began in her hometown of Reims, where she persuaded her parents to let her join a cycling club. Before cycling, she was a figure skater, but her passion for the two-wheeled sport eventually took over.
In her early years as a youth rider, Ferrand-Prévot won four national titles across road and MTB. Her professional career took off when she joined the Dutch team Rabobank-Liv, where she was mentored by cycling hero Marianne Vos.
Ferrand-Prévot's career has not been without its challenges. After the Rio 2016 Olympics, she almost gave up bike racing, having quit the MTB race and finishing well down in the road race after an injury-hit season. However, she found solace in a bulldog pup named Rio, which she bought to lift her spirits and help her continue.
Currently, Ferrand-Prévot resides in Monaco / Andorra and represents Visma-Lease a Bike. She rides a Cervélo bike, and her partner, Dylan Van Baarle, is a men's WorldTour pro and also rides for the same team.
In 2015, Ferrand-Prévot achieved a historic triple World Championships haul - road, cyclo-cross, and mountain bike. This year, she returned to road racing after five seasons of focusing on mountain bike. However, she was yellow-carded after Milan San Remo for irregular sprinting.
Ferrand-Prévot is an outspoken advocate for women's competition and once expressed a desire to ride the Tour de France. Her nutritionist plays a crucial role in her preparation for major races, such as the Tour de France Femmes. While the identity of her nutritionist is not publicly known, it is clear that she had a nutritionist integrated within her team who helped her tailor her diet and weight specifically for the race demands.
Ferrand-Prévot openly discussed how she worked with her nutritionist to safely lose 4 kilograms to optimize her climbing performance for the demanding mountain stages, especially for the Col de la Madeleine, while maintaining health and power during the race. She emphasized that the nutrition plan was carefully controlled and that she did not do anything extreme, acknowledging the balance between being race-ready and long-term health.
Ferrand-Prévot's younger sister, Axelle, is also a successful bike racer and has recently taken to gravel racing. Axelle placed second at this year's Traka event and took podium places in the Gravel World Series events.
Ferrand-Prévot sports a tattoo that reads 'Life is a joke' on the back of her neck, a reminder perhaps of the ups and downs she has faced in her career. Despite the challenges, her dedication and resilience have made her one of the most respected and admired athletes in the cycling world.
Sports have been an integral part of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's life, particularly cycling, which she turned professional in 2012 and has since excelled, earning 14 MTB world titles.
Despite her prominent career in cycling, Ferrand-Prévot also has a tattoo that reads 'Life is a joke' on the back of her neck, suggesting she maintains a balanced perspective on sports and life's challenges.
