Pauline Ferrand-Prévot extends her contract at Visma beyond the Los Angeles Olympics: "It's an exciting long-term goal"

When Pauline Ferrand-Prévot announced her return to road racing after a successful mountain bike career, there was a notable scepticism as to whether the Frenchwoman could indeed fulfill her goal of winning the Tour de France Femmes against the younger generation of racers in the three-year horizon she set out for herself. But not only did the 34-year-old burst onto the road scene with a stunning Paris-Roubaix triumph, she continued to maintain a high level heading into summer when Ferrand-Prévot dominated the Tour, demolishing her rivals with a difference of a class in the mountains.

With that quest finished, Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Ferrand-Prévot got much ahead of their plan as the Grande Boucle victory was only envisioned this season, or the following one. However the mountain bike Olympic champion has already set her sights to another road objective - the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles - this time on road. And for this precise reason, the two parties agreed to add one extra year to Ferrand-Prévot's contract which now runs through 2028.

"I really love being part of this team and I feel happy and at home here. For the first time, I feel truly understood, both as a person and as a rider. I don’t see myself going anywhere else," she said in a team press release.

After this successful first year, Ferrand-Prévot has been thinking about her next goals: "Next year, I want to focus on developing my time trial skills. Together with the team, we have made that our objective. I also hope to perform at my best at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which is an exciting long-term goal."

Team manager Rutger Tijssen sees the extension as an opportunity to build on a solid foundation: "Pauline is an exceptional athlete, but what truly sets her apart is how she combines ambition with a constant drive to develop," Tijssen says.

Her commitment to always perform at the very top of her ability is what sets her apart from the rest: "She sets high standards for herself and for us as staff. Not only in races, but in preparation and in mindset. That raises the level of the entire team. Her long-term commitment strengthens belief and confidence across the team."

"Pauline belongs to the absolute top of women’s cycling," says Visma | Lease a Bike CEO Richard Plugge. "In her first year with us, she immediately stamped her authority on our sport’s biggest stages, conquering the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to victory and taking the iconic yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes. Those achievements underline her impact on the sport."

Plugge sees the French rider as a driving force for the future of women’s cycling: "Pauline represents ambition and belief, and she plays an important role in the development and visibility of women’s cycling. We are proud that she continues that journey with us."

In 2026, Ferrand-Prévot will have a tough task ahead of herself; to defend the Tour de France throne against a range of challengers led by Demi Vollering. But even more importantly, the Frenchwoman aims to further improve her consistency across the season as she struggled at times to maintain her level during the 2025 season, for example at the World Championships.