"I don't want to win everything, I don't want that pressure": Pauline Ferrand-Prévot reveals her goals for 2026

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot arrived on the road this year as one of the big unknowns for many, but the Frenchwoman has shown that her talent is up to the challenge of new generations and has signed a season to remember. Now she explains her new sports philosophy and aims to renew her victory in the Tour de France as her main goal for 2026.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot swaps pressure for precision

It has only been a year since Pauline Ferrand-Prévot announced her farewell to XCO, just after winning the Olympic gold in Paris 2024, to focus again on the road, the discipline in which she was already world champion in 2014. Since then, her return to the asphalt has been as brilliant as it has been deliberate: victory in the Tour de France Femmes 2025, triumph in the Paris-Roubaix, and a second place in the Tour of Flanders, in addition to several podium finishes that confirm she remains one of the most complete riders in the world peloton.

However, not everything has been perfect. Ferrand-Prévot decided to participate at the last minute in the World Championship in Rwanda, where her performance did not meet expectations. A few days later, the Team Visma Lease a Bike rider underwent surgery to address ankle discomfort that had been bothering her throughout the season, thus putting an end to a demanding yet successful year.

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In an extensive interview with Ouest-France, Ferrand-Prévot explained her approach to competition and her plan for 2026:

“I don't want to win everything because I don't want that pressure,” she declared. “I prefer to limit my goals to one or two per year. That's what really motivates me.”

“The Tour is the main goal,” she added, although she acknowledged that the spring classics are still important: “I was good in the Classics, but I think I can be better there, and then be in good shape for the Tour. I can work very well this winter to try to reach a level not necessarily equal to that of the Tour, but not far off, for the Classics, and then be in shape for the Tour. That will be the real goal for 2026.”

Ferrand-Prévot also explained that she does not feel a special attraction to constantly competing:

“It's a bit contradictory, but I don't necessarily like competition. It's not what drives me to ride a bike. Racing every weekend is not something I particularly enjoy. Mentally, for me, it's too tiring.”

“What I really like is preparing for a specific goal and putting everything in place to try to achieve it. That's why I returned to the road. I had the Tour de France as my goal.”

Regarding her relationship with the Visma | Lease a Bike team, the Frenchwoman emphasized that she shares the same philosophy with her teammates:

“Racing just for the sake of racing no longer interests me. That was the case when I was a professional with Rabobank or at Canyon-SRAM. For me, the Tour is very important, and that's why I chose this team. They gave me freedom of choice. They know I don't want to race every Sunday, and that fits with the team's philosophy.”

“I work like this, with specific goals. That's what gets me up every morning. I also worry about doing better every day than the day before. Although I am currently injured, I met with Richard Plugge to see what I can improve.”

Looking ahead, Ferrand-Prévot confirmed that her motivation remains intact and she is not thinking about retirement:

“I want to see how far I can go. I know I won, but I know the others will work harder to try to beat me, and we have to maintain our advantage.”

“When I woke up the next day [after winning the Tour] I felt empty, I cried, I think for two days. It was a dream. I was very happy, but also a bit lost because I didn't know what direction to give my career after that. Now I see it differently: it was great to do it once, but doing it twice could be even better.”

In her long-term view, Ferrand-Prévot is thinking about the 2027 World Championships, which will be held in France, as a special dream: to reclaim the rainbow jersey at home more than a decade after achieving it for the first time.