Pauline Ferrand-Prévot will not line up for the World Championships in Montréal on September 26, bringing an increasingly difficult 2026 season closer to its conclusion. The Frenchwoman did not express an interest in being selected for the road race, meaning she will be absent when the French Cycling Federation announces its squad later this week.
The decision is notable because the Montréal course, with its demanding climbs, could have suited Ferrand-Prévot’s characteristics.
Instead, the former world champion appears to have decided that it is better to skip the World Championships after a season that has fallen well short of the level she showed during her spectacular 2025 campaign.
Ferrand-Prévot has not raced since abandoning the Tour de France Femmes on August 8. The defending champion was suffering from illness and did not take the start of the eighth stage, having already slipped well down the overall standings. She was 14th at the time, more than 14 minutes behind yellow jersey holder Katarzyna Niewiadoma.
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot during recon for Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2026
A season that never reached the level of 2025
The contrast with last year has been particularly stark. Ferrand-Prévot returned to the road in 2025 and immediately produced one of the most remarkable seasons of her career, culminating in victory at the Tour de France Femmes. In 2026, however, the Frenchwoman struggled to reproduce those performances.
Her spring campaign still produced two major results, with second place at the Tour of Flanders and third at Paris-Roubaix. But those podium finishes were followed by a difficult period, including a disappointing Vuelta Femenina before her problems intensified at the Tour.
Ferrand-Prévot had already made it clear that her 2026 program was designed to give her flexibility after the Tour de France. The World Championships were not included in the schedule she announced in January, leaving the possibility of extending her season depending on her condition and motivation.
Read also
Montréal absence could signal the end of her season
Ferrand-Prévot’s decision leaves the French team to build its World Championship plans without one of its most experienced riders. The squad is expected to be built around French road race champion Célia Géry, who impressed during the summer after winning the U23 national title in 2025 and taking on an important supporting role for Demi Vollering at FDJ United-Suez.
For Ferrand-Prévôt, meanwhile, the next question is whether she will race again at all in 2026. Visma | Lease a Bike said last week that no final decision had yet been made and that a return to competition remained possible.
However, with the World Championships now ruled out and the European Championships in Ljubljana on October 3 requiring a separate selection process, there are few major targets remaining on the calendar.
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- This is such a black eye to women's professional cyclocross if this result remains. Marie Schreiber won this race fairly. This finish is not unlike others in cyclocross. Lots of moving around to get to the finish not to cut anyone off , but to generate a sprint on soft wide tires caked with mud and sand. This is not nearly the same as a road race between two riders sprinting to the finish on faster bikes and thinner firmer tires. The powers in charge need to use some common sense, reverse this result and remember this is Cyclocross not Road racing. Unbelievable. . .Zencycle09-11-2026
- Tis beyond your comprehension fine sir so best not to look on with blind eyes to THE GOATS greatness.
Brucegel09-11-2026 - McNulty winning was beneficial in ensuring the rainbow jersey would not remain winless
Front24209-11-2026 - Eccelente! That's 7 riders in total in Red Bull who come from the devo team, 8 if you include Lipo
Rafionain-Glas09-11-2026 - again, nothing is going to be resolved. it is a discussion board. I simply said I didn't see how MS impeded LBs sprint. the UCI doesn't care about my thoughts, and I am really not that emotionally invested in it.mij09-11-2026
- provoke change, lol. this is a discussion board. nothing is going to change by what I say here. just commenting that it didn't look like MS impeded Brand. beyond that not trying to go too deep.mij09-11-2026
- as excellent as maga rednecks chloe dygert (and quinn simmons)?Ketterechts09-11-2026
- so what i understand is: i left a comment calling out the endless author CVs for being an unnecessary flex of expertise, and you responded by lecturing me (and others) on discrimination and value systems. hats off to you. you definitely lost me!Ketterechts09-11-2026
- I just love the flood of Americans into the top ranks of world cycling. In addition to being studs on the bike, they all seem to be excellent emissaries for our country.Occam09-11-2026
- ANATOMY OF A G.O.A.T. EDDY MERCKX about TADEJ POGAČAR: Merckx: “He has revived a style of cycling that we had almost forgotten. He is now better than me.” Key statements by Merckx about Pogačar in 2026: - Acknowledging his superiority: This time, Merckx openly admitted, without any subsequent backtracking or reservations, that Pogačar had surpassed him and was now above him. This contrasts with 2024, when he quickly softened his remarks about Pogačar being faster. - The possibility of a historic triple (Giro, Tour and Vuelta): During the July Tour de France (where Pogi claimed his fifth title), Merckx stated that Pogi was the only cyclist in history capable of winning all three Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España) in a single season, provided the conditions were right and he had sufficient team support. - Lack of serious competition: Merckx emphasised that Pogačar has no real rivals in the mountains since 2024, thanks to his extraordinary climbing ability and the fact that he continues to improve despite still being under 28 (he turned 28 in autumn 2026). - Praise for his racing style: Merckx highlighted how Pogačar is bringing back the aggressive, uncompromising spirit of cycling's golden era, when races were not merely about calculated stages and tactical conservatism, but about attacking from long distances. PS: This is not "boring" ... this is called making real history, not only statistical history. Capish?PogiSloFans09-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment