Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, winner of Tour de France Femmes in a dominant way, has announced that she will take part in the UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda, after previously saying she would miss it in order to recover. The 33-year-old French rider from Visma-Lease a Bike had even suggested that she may not return to Tour de France because of the sacrifices she had to make to prepare physically and mentally for the competition.
However, on an Instagram post where she jokingly refers herself as "World Champion of Changing Plans", she said she feels ready "to continue giving my best, in an intelligent and thoughtful way", and will participate in the World Championship in Rwanda, after consulting with her team and the French team. "I'm honoured to race with my French teammates, who are among the world's elite, to give our best in the quest for the iridescent jersey."
Ferrand-Prévot admitted she had decided previously to skip World Championship because of how physically tired and mentally worn out she came from the Olympic period last year. "Since my Tour de France victory last month, I've been trying to find a good balance between taking advantage of every opportunity available to me and maintaining my healthy lifestyle as a professional athlete, which is essential to me."
However, with the context being different, with fewer races and less pressure from Tour de France than from the Olympics, she feels fit and ready to give it a go. The UCI Road World Championships take place between September 21 and 28 in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, the first time it's held in Africa. Pauline Ferran-Prévot has already won 12 UCI Elite World Championship titles, and won gold medal in cross-country mountain biking in Paris 2024.