"I like the pressure": Pauline Ferrand-Prévot already looks forward to defending her Tour title on Mont Ventoux

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the world of road cycling by a storm in 2025. As a returning face to the peloton, the expectations weren't anywhat high of the Frenchwoman in her "debut" season, but the 33-year-old made it clear very soon that she doesn't need anything like an acclimatization period to pick up where she left of more than five years ago.

Heading into Paris-Roubaix Femmes, she still wasn't seen as the biggest favourite despite her Strade Bianche podium and a second place at Tour of Flanders week earlier. And for a while, it seemed like the battle for victory would indeed unfold without the Frenchwoman. But tactical games at the front allowed her to come back, and later pull off her winning move.

The same doubts were present ahead of the Tour de France Femmes. Ferrand-Prévot had only done two climbing races, finishing 17th at the UAE Tour in February, and abandoning the Vuelta Espana Femenina. Although Ferrand-Prévot declared before joining Visma | Lease a Bike that the Tour would be her main objective, her dominance in 2025 was still other-worldly.

And so, we're curious what 2026 season has in store for the defending Tour champion:

"I can’t wait to go all in again with my teammates," Ferrand-Prévot begins in a press release. "We have a strong group of motivated riders, and compared to last season we’ve taken more steps forward. That’s great to see. For me, 2025 was a year full of learning, but I pick up new things quickly. The support from the staff and my teammates meant I was able to reach a high level very fast. What we achieved last season was incredible, but my focus is already on the coming year."

While Pauline won perhaps the two biggest races on her 2025 calendar (except the World Championships), those were also her only triumphs that year. For 2026, she aims to be more consistent across the season. And, perhaps, get closer to her new friend Tadej Pogacar's dominance in men's peloton.

"Last season I was very good on several occasions, but I still want to work on my consistency. My goal is to fight for the very top in every race I start. That will be a challenge, but it’s one I’m happy to take on. I finished on the podium many times in 2025, but secretly I want to win more."

However the Tour remains the main goal of 2026. Ferrand-Prévot is well-aware that defending her title will be even more challenging than winning for the first time. "Last season I started the Tour as an outsider, but that will be different next season," she says. "I have to be ready to start as one of the favourites in the biggest races from now on. I like pressure and I can handle it well, so I’m really looking forward to it."

"The Tour was the most important race we could win. It was an amazing team performance. I will do everything I can to defend my title. The Tour route includes an individual time trial, and I see that as a great challenge too. Time trialling suited me well in the past, but it’s definitely a discipline I can still improve. That’s why I’ll be spending a lot of time on the time-trial bike in the build-up to the Tour. It’s a short effort, which in principle should suit me. I’m also especially looking forward to the stage to Mont Ventoux. I’ve also marked the final stage, close to my home, as a major goal."

"The high expectations for the coming year give me extra motivation to improve. I perform better when there’s pressure, so I see very little negative in those expectations. I’m absolutely ready to give the best of myself again," Ferrand-Prévot concludes.