"I need to take it a bit easier" - Pauline Ferrand-Prévot skips Kigali to focus on home European Championships
Cycling
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot was prepared that it might take up to three years to win the Tour de France Femmes when she transitioned to road with Visma | Lease a Bike before this season. Little did she know she would succeed on first try and it's time to think about other targets. One of them seems to be at hand with home European Championships in Ardeche in early October.
"I don't know yet. I need to rest a bit first, see how I recover, and enjoy the moment. I didn't want to go at first, but with this form, I might be able to make a last-minute call. I still have to decide," she told WielerFlits.
On her mission to complete a collection of all the most prized cycling triumphs, Ferrand-Prévot already ticked off the box with "road rainbow jersey" back in 2014. At the end of what was her best road season until now, the Frenchwoman won the sprint of a small leading group in Ponferrada. Instead, the focus will be on the home European Championships in Ardeche a week later
It's a decision that aligns well with her season plan: "I've decided I need to take it a bit easier. I don't want to travel to Africa. That's why I'll only be riding a few races until the end of the year. The European Championship is one of them, in my home country," she says now.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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