Pauline Ferrand-Prevot wins the gold with a performance to remember at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot takes the victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Frenchwoman put on a show to take a commanding lead after the success of an attack she launched in the second lap. A puncture cost Pieterse the medal, while the silver went to Batten and the bronze to Rissveds.

Ferrand-Prevot, Olympic champion in Paris 2024: spectacular victory worth gold

The weather gave a break and the Elancourt Hill circuit dawned with sun and pleasant temperatures. The 36 riders called to compete in the most important race of the calendar appeared punctually. The start occurred without incidents and, once the tight angle of the first curve was overcome, the multicolored line began to pedal. Martina Berta emerged as the first leader of the day, although Loana Lecomte took the lead shortly after.

The early stages were marked by a constant change of leadership, with no one managing to solidify their position. Thus, it was Stigger who made extra efforts to take the lead, while the two top favorites -Ferrand-Prevot and Pieterse- chose to keep a low profile behind the Austrian.

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The dance of positions at the front continued until the leading group was formed. The quartet composed of Lecomte, Pieterse, Ferrand-Prevot, and Stigger easily escaped and pulled away from the rest. Stigger was the first to show signs of weakness, but she fought hard and managed to reconnect with them several times. However, the second lap was a reality check for her, and she gradually lost time.

And then it was Ferrand-Prevot's turn. The Frenchwoman pushed hard in a devastating attack that put Pieterse and Lecomte in difficulty, unable to match the pace. The rainbow jersey spurred on and demonstrated the success of the maneuver as she rode solo after shaking up the race.

The lead increased exponentially. 7 seconds. 18 seconds. 28 seconds. Ferrand-Prevot's early attack proved effective, and from the beginning, it was clear that she had an extra energy that her rivals lacked, who were now fighting for the silver. Pieterse stretched until she broke and ousted Lecomte from her domain.

Behind them, the group of Stigger, Batten, Keller, and Richards were already 53 seconds behind Ferrand-Prevot, with their eyes on the bronze that Lecomte held. Meanwhile, Janika Loiv (Estonia) crashed, and Candice Lill had to walk to the assistance area after damaging her rear wheel.

Ferrand-Prevot continued to widen the gap and gained a lead of almost a minute over Pieterse. Lecomte, isolated, began to lose ground, and the threat from the chasing quartet became more real. Shortly after, Rissveds and Stigger -after Batten's puncture- emerged as the top students and caught up with Lecomte.

The focus then shifted to the battle for the last medal, as the two most coveted medals already had owners. Lecomte crashed hard on one of the descents; the Frenchwoman provided one of the images of the day as she lay on the Elancourt circuit.

Ferrand-Prevot's exhibition kept the bar high; her pedaling only conveyed positive sensations from a rider who maintained the freshness of the early laps. Misfortune then knocked on Pieterse's door in the form of a puncture when the Dutchwoman was over two minutes behind the leader.

The orange jersey fought to hold on, freeze the seconds gap with the chasing group, and reach the assistance area as soon as possible. However, the reunited group composed of Rissveds, Stigger, Batten, and Keller caught her just before she could change the wheel. The repair resulted in a penalty of about 25 seconds.

Unaware of what was happening behind her, Ferrand-Prevot continued with the same ambition. The battle for the silver now involved Rissveds and Batten, the pursuers who managed to push their quadriceps a bit more to stand out from the rest.

Last lap. Only misfortune could take the gold away from a Pauline Ferrand-Prevot who was riding straight to victory. The duel between Rissveds and Batten had several episodes, settled decisively by both parties. The American raised the stakes, and although she managed to open a small gap, the Swede fought back to keep her chances alive. Meanwhile, Pieterse caught up to Richards, although her lack of strength was already evident, and she stayed behind her.

And Ferrand-Prevot pedaled the last stretch of the lap to face the finish line and raise her arms to confirm the triumph at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Frenchwoman was emotional and thus put the finishing touch on an enviable track record in the world of mountain biking.

Batten maintained the challenge to Rissveds, and both crossed the finish line almost together to claim the silver and bronze, respectively. Behind them came a Pieterse who narrowly missed out on the medals due to an untimely puncture.

Olympic Games MTB Paris 2024 - Women's Results

1. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (France) 1h 26' 02"
2. Haley Batten (United States) +2'57"
3. Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) +3'02"
4. Puck Pieterse (Netherlands) +3'23"
5. Evie Richards (United Kingdom) +3'27"
6. Laura Stigger (Austria) +4'13"
7. Alessandra Keller (Switzerland) +4'41"
8. Samara Maxwell (New Zealand) +4'41"
9. Anne Terpstra (Netherlands) +5'33"
10. Blanka VAS (Hungary) +5'40"