Why Visma believes time-trial novice Pauline Ferrand-Prévot can spring a Tour surprise
CyclingTuesday, 04 August 2026 at 08:39
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Follow us on GooglePauline Ferrand-Prévot is ready for the individual time trial in the Tour de France Femmes, even though her last conventional race against the clock dates back to 2015. Visma | Lease a Bike learned in November that the 2026 Tour route would feature an individual time trial, prompting the defending champion and her team to begin an intensive, highly detailed preparation programme.
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“She is not quite lying in bed in the time-trial position, but we have gone through every detail. I hope she surprises everyone; we are aiming for the best possible result,” sports director and time-trial expert Jos van Emden told NOS after Stage 3, during which Ferrand-Prévot showed a few minor cracks. The Dutchman’s comments closely matched what the rider herself and her team manager had already said.
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When we spoke to Ferrand-Prévot on the Wednesday before the Tour, the team leader also confirmed that she had been working extremely hard since November on what was a new discipline for her. “I had to start at minus ten,” she laughed. “But I think we had a good plan, with testing, work in the wind tunnel, positioning, aerodynamics and race simulations.”
“I have spent a huge amount of time on my time-trial bike since the moment we knew there would be a time trial in the Tour de France,” emphasised Ferrand-Prévot, who is known for her incredible work ethic. “I enjoy it because it is a challenge for me. I like that, and I think I have worked well on it. I am happy with how I feel on the bike.”
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Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
Visma | Lease a Bike saw Ferrand-Prévot spend plenty of time training on her time-trial bike
“Before this year, Pauline had never spent so much time on a time-trial bike. In fact, she had barely ridden one at all,” smiled Rutger Tijssen, manager of Visma’s women’s team. “Her last race on a time-trial bike was last year’s Vuelta, in the team time trial. That was also her first time on the time-trial bike. We added it to her programme in November, and from then on she rode it at least three times a week, and often more.”
“We trained for it extensively and simulated the Tour time trial. Pauline was on the time-trial bike at least three times a week, and those were not only easy rides,” said Tijssen, who ultimately decided against entering Ferrand-Prévot in a competitive time trial in 2026. “We did want to do that, but we consciously chose not to bring Pauline down from altitude and interrupt her preparation.”
“Instead, we carried out a simulation, which we believe allowed us to prepare her better for the time trial than if we had interrupted her altitude camp. We invested a great deal in it. Ultimately, you still have to turn the pedals in a time trial, but the angle of the hips is different. You simply have to spend time producing power in that position on the bike.”
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Ferrand-Prévot pushed hard, but not too hard
Visma | Lease a Bike saw Ferrand-Prévot work incredibly hard, but according to Tijssen, the Frenchwoman did not go too far in her determination to ride a strong time trial on Tuesday. “Ultimately, we have not forgotten what Pauline is good at, and that is where we spend most of our time. Those are the longer climbs, although races these days are always explosive as well, with efforts lasting two or three minutes. We included that in her preparation too.”
For the time trial, the main objective was to ensure that Ferrand-Prévot could produce the same power on her time-trial bike as she can on her regular road bike. According to road captain Marianne Vos, that has worked well. “There is a great deal of time-trial knowledge within the team, and a lot of time is invested in it. Pauline may be even better at training and preparing than she is when she races. We are confident that she is going to do well.”
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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