“I was talking with Tadej Pogacar and he said: ‘It’s been so long!’” – Pauline Ferrand-Prévot links up with fellow Tour de France champion ahead of Strade Bianche return

For Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the long wait for racing is finally over. After a winter built around training and altitude preparation, the reigning Tour de France Femmes champion will begin her 2026 season at Strade Bianche Donne, a race where she believes she arrives stronger than ever.

Speaking in a pre-race interview with L’Equipe, Ferrand-Prevot revealed she recently shared a similar feeling with fellow Tour champion Tadej Pogacar as both riders count down to their return to competition.

“It’s funny, I was just talking with Tadej,” she explained. “He hasn’t raced much since the World Championships either. He said: ‘It’s been so long!’ And I thought exactly the same thing.”

“Even though I love training, I’m really looking forward to racing again after such a long winter," she added. "It’s a bit like going back to school after the summer holidays.”

Ferrand-Prevot heads into Strade Bianche after an extended training block in the Canary Islands, where she spent three weeks preparing at altitude. “I feel very good,” she said. “I’ve just come back from a three-week altitude camp in Tenerife, and we had good conditions. I feel ready.”

While the level of the competition will only become clear once the race begins in Tuscany, the French rider believes she already feels stronger than she did twelve months ago. “We don’t yet know the level of the others, but compared to last year, I already feel much better, and I can aim for victory.”

Her confidence also reflects the progress she has made since returning fully to road racing after years focused on mountain biking. “Last year was my return, rediscovering road racing. I arrived at Strade still with the mindset of a mountain biker. This time, I arrive as a road rider. I know what I’m capable of, and I’m more confident.”

Ferrand-Prevot finished third in the 2025 edition of Strade Bianche Donne, but she believes the race also provided valuable lessons about how to approach the demanding Tuscan course.

“I watched the race again,” she said. “I spent a lot of energy trying to bridge across to the group that went early. I wouldn’t make the same mistake today.”

Strade Bianche is often deceptive in its difficulty, she explained, particularly as the kilometres begin to accumulate on the gravel roads.

“At the beginning the race doesn’t seem difficult, but after around 100 kilometres it becomes hard. It’s better to manage your energy.”

Another important element of Ferrand-Prevot’s development on the road has been her experience racing alongside Marianne Vos at Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women. “Racing with Marianne is such an honour,” she said. “I always learn from her.”

At the same time, she believes the team as a whole has grown stronger heading into the new season. “I also feel that the team is ready and that we’re going to move up a level this year. There are new riders who impressed me during the training camp.”

Ferrand-Prevot’s victory in last year’s Tour de France Femmes has also changed how she is perceived in the peloton, a shift she admits took time to fully understand.

“My status in the peloton has changed,” she said. “At the World Championships I realised I wasn’t racing like a favourite. I was waiting, but everyone was waiting for me to ride. I didn’t realise that my status had changed. It took me some time to process that.”

Now, however, the French rider feels more comfortable embracing her role as a leader within the team. “Now I feel more like a favourite and a team leader, which gives me more confidence. It’s a good kind of pressure.”

While Ferrand-Prevot is eager to begin her season, she has deliberately kept her focus away from the constant flow of news and social media that surrounds the sport.

Asked about rising French talent Paul Seixas, who will also race Strade Bianche this weekend, she admitted she has not been closely following the latest headlines.

“Honestly, I haven’t watched television or social media for such a long time that I don’t really know what’s happening in the world,” she said. “I prefer doing other things and being present in the moment rather than spending so much time on my phone.”

For now, the focus is simply on returning to competition. And after months of training, the reigning Tour champion is eager to see how her preparation translates once the racing begins again on the white roads of Tuscany.