Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Breaks 34-Year Drought: First French Winner of Tour de France Femmes Since 1989

French cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prévot secured a historic victory in the Tour de France Femmes on Sunday, marking the first time a French athlete has claimed the prestigious title since 1989.

Since Bernard Hinault’s triumph in the men’s Tour de France in 1985 and Jeannie Longo’s victory in the women’s edition the following year, no French cyclist had managed to secure the coveted yellow jersey. This long-awaited win signifies a significant moment for a nation deeply connected to the race, which has been part of their summers for over a century.

Ferrand-Prévot, having retired from a successful mountain bike career during which she claimed Olympic gold in Paris, returned to road cycling this season with the ambitious goal of winning the Tour de France Femmes within three years. She achieved her objective ahead of schedule.

A decisive win in the final stage sealed her victory, as she crossed the finish line adorned in the iconic yellow jersey, visibly moved by ending France’s wait for a home champion.

In the overall standings, Ferrand-Prévot finished three minutes and 42 seconds ahead of Demi Vollering in second place and four minutes and nine seconds ahead of defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney.

Ferrand-Prévot clinched the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage, distancing her rivals during the race’s most challenging climb – the 18.6 km Col de la Madeleine on Stage 8. By the end of this stage, she had gained more than three minutes on Niewiadoma-Phinney and Vollering.

Sarah Gigante posed the closest threat to Ferrand-Prévot during this decisive stage, launching an early attack on the Col de la Madeleine. Although Gigante was eventually caught and passed by the Frenchwoman, her efforts limited Ferrand-Prévot’s lead to one minute and 45 seconds.

This performance left Ferrand-Prévot with a substantial two-and-a-half minute advantage over Gigante in the overall classification going into the final stage. Despite this significant lead, the last stage presented challenges for Ferrand-Prévot. She found herself behind her competitors on the valley roads before the first climb of the day, forcing her team to work tirelessly to protect her lead. However, she recovered and launched a solo attack with six kilometers remaining, crossing the finish line alone.