Visma | Lease a Bike land major win with new contract for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot

The all-rounder will begin her 2026 season on 7 March at Strade Bianche, the race where she finished third in her debut year with Visma | Lease a Bike. It proved to be the starting gun for a remarkable season, especially after a sluggish start at the UAE Tour.

In spring 2025, Ferrand-Prévot sprang a surprise by winning Paris-Roubaix and also finished second at the Tour of Flanders. An ankle injury meant she could not play a meaningful role in the Ardennes Classics, and attention quickly shifted fully towards the Tour de France Femmes.

After a meticulous build-up, Ferrand-Prévot delivered peak form when it mattered most — something she has done time and again across her career. Think of her cyclocross world title in 2015, her five MTB world titles, Olympic gold in mountain biking in 2024, and then that Tour de France Femmes triumph in 2025.

Ferrand-Prévot struck in the final weekend of the women’s Tour of France, first with a commanding stage win on the Col de la Madeleine and then another victory on the final day into Châtel Les Portes du Soleil. In doing so, she sealed the yellow jersey in front of her home crowds.

While her fiancé Dylan van Baarle chose to leave Visma | Lease a Bike, Ferrand-Prévot has done the opposite, signing a new deal. “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 via the team’s official channels.

Ferrand-Prévot says she is far from done with winning at Visma | Lease a Bike. Her climbing has already proved decisive, but she is also looking to make progress against the clock, with time trial development a clear focus for the next step.

A contract through 2028 fits neatly with the Olympic Games in Los Angeles that same year. “I also hope to perform at my best at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which is an exciting long-term goal,” Ferrand-Prévot said.

Team manager Rutger Tijssen believes the extension is about more than just results. “Pauline is an exceptional athlete, but what truly sets her apart is how she combines ambition with a constant drive to develop,” he explained. “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.”

CEO Richard Plugge also underlined her broader impact. “Pauline belongs to the absolute top of women’s cycling,” he said. “In her first year with us, she immediately stamped her authority on our sport’s biggest stages… Those achievements underline her impact on the sport.” Plugge added that Ferrand-Prévot “represents ambition and belief” and plays “an important role in the development and visibility of women’s cycling”, as Visma | Lease a Bike continue building their women’s programme.