She has already known everything or almost. But Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has not finished with the discoveries. The Olympic mountain bike champion is about to taste the flavor of a big tour for the first time in her career. It is this kind of new features that Rémoise was looking for when she decided to resume on road competitions this season. The Vuelta Femenina will be the frame of its initiation from Sunday. Its novice status can hardly be compatible with a favorite sign. But his spring nevertheless leaves room for legitimate ambitions.
The first, it doesn’t scare him. This is all that PFP has proven for two months. First with his third place on the Strade Bianche to start the classics season in early March. She struck even stronger a month later, finishing second on the Tour des Flanders. But it only looks like a warning stroke in the face of the earthquake it caused the following week by becoming the French first in history to triumph over Paris-Roubaix.
“Never dared to dream of a spring like this”
The Queen of Hell did not hesitate to enjoy a success that she did not expect. “”I had never dared to dream of a spring like thisshe recognized this week on the official website of the I Lease A Bike. It was an incredible, but demanding period. I took advantage of a short break at home to recharge my batteries. Now I feel quite ready to give the best of myself to the Vuelta. “
Magic moment! Ferrand-Prévot winner of Paris-Roubaix: his arrival on video
Video credit: Eurosport
Ferrand-Prévot had indeed started his campaign of the classics in a simple role of teammate. “”I want to help Marianne your to win Milan San Remo and the Amstel Gold Race“, she advanced at the beginning of March in the program Cycling Show on Eurosport. Her status has radically evolved and her performances on Belgian roads are certainly not unrelated. It is with the leader’s label of the Visma I Lease A Bike that Ferrand-Prévot will align on the Vuelta Femenina.
Your at his service
And with luxury teammates. “”In addition to targeting stage victories, we also have ambitions in terms of general classification with Pauline as a leaderconfirmed the legendary Marianne Vos on the site of the Dutch team. This means that we will have to find a balance between the protection of our position in the general classification and the seizure of steps opportunities. My role and objectives will vary from day to day. On certain stages, I will aim for victory, while on others, I will support Pauline. “
-Ferrand-Prévot: “Since I won the games, I have no pressure”
Video credit: Eurosport
What put additional pressure on PFP shoulders? Not necessarily. The Frenchwoman has seen others, and she will certainly not modify a recipe that has worked so far this season. “”I started spring with few expectations, nothing was required, everything was allowedshe recalled. I approach The Vuelta with the same state of mind. I am ready to give everything with my teammates. This is my first big tour, which adds excitement. “
“A key experience for my development”
The mentality will not be different. Neither did the objectives. From the top of his 33 years, Ferrand-Prévot arrives in Spain with the simple desire to move forward. “”I think it will be a key experience for my developmentshe explained. It will be a precious week, and I hope that we can lay the foundations for the Tour de France, which is another major objective. “
And even more than that. Ferrand-Prévot did not hide his dream of one day winning the Tour de France. This is one of the main motivations for his return to road. She gave herself three years to conquer the large loop, the duration of her contract with the Visma I Lease A Bike. It is a quest for absolute glory for the gold medalist in Paris 2024. It begins here in Spain.
Ferrand-Prévot’s objective: “Win the Tour within three years”
Video credit: Eurosport
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