Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) has confirmed that this will probably be her final season in mountain biking, opening the door for a return to the highway after using the MTB occasion within the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics,
The five-time Cross-Country World Champion was talking after successful in Nové Mêsto in dominant solo style, persevering with to maintain up her type en path to her residence video games the place she is going to possible be the main favorite.
Having been some of the profitable multi-discipline athletes ever, an Olympic medal has managed to elude Ferrand-Prevot in each her earlier years on the highway and extra lately in mountain biking.
In the Rio 2016 highway race, she completed twenty sixth after coming eighth in London 2012, whereas in MTB she once more managed eighth in Tokyo after two disappointing outcomes on the two earlier Games, with a DNF and twenty fifth respectively.
“It’s my final likelihood to attempt to be Olympic champion so I don’t need to miss it,” Ferrand-Prevot instructed Eurosport.
“It will probably be, for certain, my final 12 months on MTB so I need to do all the pieces doable to be good this 12 months and attempt to win the Olympics at residence.”
Ferrand-Prevot has lengthy been a dominant power within the off-road self-discipline. She received her first senior MTB XCO world title in 2015 and her most up-to-date title in that class got here simply final 12 months in Scotland, the place she additionally took the short-track (XCC) occasion.
“I believe I did all the pieces in MTB. I nonetheless prefer it however it does not make sense to proceed,” she mentioned.
“Also it’s my final likelihood to be Olympic champion at residence so it’s good to complete there.”
The 32-year-old’s change of focus away from MTB opens the door again to highway competitors, wherein she was World Champion earlier than in 2014. Apart from the French Nationals, she has barely competed in that self-discipline since 2018.
Ferrand-Prevot has said beforehand that the brand new Tour de France Femmes is one thing which might see her transfer again to the self-discipline, particularly as a French rider. Her final highway contract resulted in 2020 after 4 years with Canyon-SRAM.
“I do miss it, particularly now that now we have a Tour de France for ladies,” Ferrand-Prevot instructed Ineos Grenadiers teammate Geraint Thomas on his podcast again in October.
“I want to experience the Tour de France someday. Right now I’m very centered on the Paris Olympics, however why not get again to highway racing subsequent 12 months, or the 12 months after? I would love that.”
The solely drawback, nevertheless, is that Ineos presently do not need a ladies’s workforce so that will imply an exit might be possible for the 12-time World Champion throughout disciplines.
She joined the British aspect in 2022 as their first-ever feminine rider. That was on a two-year cope with a view in direction of her residence Olympics in Paris which is now simply two months away.
For now, Ferrand-Prevot will probably be firmly locked in on persevering with to dominate the mountain bike calendar, with the Paris MTB cross-country occasion on Sunday, July 28 a key focus.
