Ferrand-Prévot explains in detail why she changed her mind: "The context is really different this year"

The 33-year-old Frenchwoman made her return to the road this year, and it proved to be a hit. The Visma | Lease a Bike star immediately won Paris-Roubaix and, after a disappointing Vuelta a España, went on to the Tour de France. There she won the last two stages and the overall classification, after which the question remained as to what the rest of 2025 would look like for her.

“If I had listened to myself, I would have already started preparing for the World Championships in cycling and would have been at altitude,” she said after her Tour victory. However, it is now evident that Ferrand-Prévot will be at the start of the World Championships in Rwanda on September 27.

“After the Tour, the priority was to recover, to get away from all the hustle and bustle, which caused some psychological fatigue,” explains Paul Brousse, coach of the French women’s team. “And then, as time went by, Pauline finished the Tour in very, very good shape, which reflected how she had ended it,” said the Frenchman, referring to his rider's two stage wins.

“I think taking the time to recover and prepare for this World Championship, which has certain limitations, particularly in terms of the climate... We are at high altitude, it is very humid and therefore requires specific preparation,” the national coach continues.

"Ultimately, it came down to: 'Am I still able to make sacrifices, to give 100% at the World Championships, or not? At first, I think there was some physical and psychological fatigue, but immediately after that, since she hasn't raced much this year, she felt able to come back at full strength for the two goals at the end of the season, the World Championships and the European Championships," Labrosse reveals Ferrand-Prévot's other goal.

After last year's unsuccessful adventure in Zurich, where she did not finish, the Visma rider is returning to the World Championships on the road. She already won it once in 2014. Ferrand-Prévot will be able to count on a strong team in Rwanda, as Juliette Labous, Cédriane Kerbaol, and Evita Muzic, all three of whom finished in the top 10 in the Tour, have also been selected.

The Frenchwoman later provided more clarification on her social media. “Hello everyone, I admit that it took me a while to write this message. Over the past month and since my victory in the Tour de France, I have indeed been trying to find a good balance between taking advantage of all the opportunities available to me and maintaining my healthy lifestyle as a top athlete, which is essential to me.”

"At the start of the season, I decided not to participate in the World Championships in Rwanda. For the simple reason that, although last year marked the beginning of my “process” of returning to the road, I came out of the Olympic period physically tired and mentally exhausted. I clearly did not want to relive that moment or ask for extra efforts from an already tired body and a mind that is at 80% capacity."

"That said, I realize that the years follow each other, but they are not the same. The context is also significantly different (with fewer races this year and much less pressure for the Tour de France than for the Olympics). So I feel ready to continue giving my best intelligently and thoughtfully."

"That's why, in consultation with my team and the French team, we have decided that I will compete in the World Championships on the African continent. I feel honored to give my best alongside my French teammates, who are among the world's best, in the battle for the rainbow jersey."

Pauline Ferrand-PrévotLéa Curinier