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Pauline Ferrand-PrevotFrench professional cyclist
Date of Birth: 10.02.1992
Country:  France |
Content:
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot: The Multi-Disciplined Champion
- Professional Debut and Breakthrough
- Dominating Multiple Disciplines
- An Unstoppable Force
- Olympic Disappointment and Injury
- Return to Form
- Focus on Mountain Biking and Cyclocross
- Olympic Gold and Retirement
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot: The Multi-Disciplined Champion
Early Career and Junior SuccessesPauline Ferrand-Prévot hails from Reims, France, where her family owns a cycling school. Her exceptional talent was evident from a young age, as she dominated junior competitions. In 2009, she captured world and European mountain bike titles, as well as European and French road race championships. She also achieved silver medals in both the junior road race and time trial at the World Championships.
Professional Debut and Breakthrough
In 2012, Ferrand-Prévot turned professional with the Rabobank team. She quickly proved her mettle by winning the French time trial championship. At the 2012 London Olympics, she placed eighth in the road race and 26th in the cross-country event.
Dominating Multiple Disciplines
Ferrand-Prévot's versatility shone through in subsequent years. In 2014, she triumphed in several road races, including the Flèche Wallonne Féminine and the overall title at the Emakumeen Bira. She also finished second in the Giro Rosa behind Marianne Vos. Capping off a remarkable season, she won the road race world championship in Ponferrada, Spain.
An Unstoppable Force
Ferrand-Prévot's momentum continued in 2015. She became the first rider to simultaneously hold world titles in three different disciplines: cyclocross, road race, and mountain bike. She claimed the cyclocross world title in Tábor, Czech Republic, and added the mountain bike world title shortly after.
Olympic Disappointment and Injury
Despite being favored at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Ferrand-Prévot underperformed, finishing 26th in the road race and failing to finish the cross-country event due to a crash. Injuries plagued her in subsequent seasons, including a circulation issue that required surgery in 2018.
Return to Form
After a recovery period, Ferrand-Prévot returned to dominance in 2019. She regained the mountain bike world championship title in Canada. In 2020, she once again won the cross-country mountain bike world championship, along with the European championship and a World Cup event.
Focus on Mountain Biking and Cyclocross
In late 2019, Ferrand-Prévot decided to focus solely on mountain biking and cyclocross. The move paid off, as she continued to excel in both disciplines. In 2022, she achieved an unprecedented feat by winning world titles in cross-country, short track, marathon, and gravel biking within a span of six weeks.
Olympic Gold and Retirement
At the 2023 Glasgow Mountain Bike World Championships, Ferrand-Prévot successfully defended her titles. In 2024, she triumphed at the European Championships. Her Olympic journey culminated in a resounding gold medal victory in the mountain bike race at the Paris Games. Post-Olympics, she announced her retirement from mountain biking, expressing her desire to return to road racing at the age of 32.
