Ferrand-Prevot wins sensational women's Paris-Roubaix on debut / Photo: JULIEN DE ROSA - AFP
Ferrand-Prevot wins sensational women's Paris-Roubaix on debut
French cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prevot of the Visma team came back from sickness and a fall to win the women's Paris-Roubaix cobbled classic on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Olympic mountain bike champion broke clear with around 15km remaining.
This was a Paris-Roubaix debut for the cross-discipline rider who rejoined the road circuit in 2025 after a decade's absence.
She was cheered as she entered the Roubaix velodrome alone around a minute ahead of a chasing clutch of pretenders and raised her arms with a smile almost as wide as she crossed the line after 3hr 40min 07sec.
She then sat down exhausted and wept as a pack sprinted for the podium spots, with Italy's Letizia Borghesi second and Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes third.
"It's my first win and maybe the last, I suffered so much out there on the cobbles," she said laughing.
Her boyfriend, Dutch rider Dylan van Baarle, also of Visma, won the men's Paris-Roubaix three years ago.
"It's great we've both got one of the paving stones now, we'll have two at home now," she said of the cobble stones given as a trophy.
"I've been sick the last few days and wasn't sure to ride."
On top of the health issue Ferrand-Prevot was one of the many riders to crash and needed a bike change.
"Marianne (Vos her teammate) waited for me and together we managed to get back to the lead group," she said. Voss herself was in a photo finish for third but finished fourth.
The champion turned her attention to her key reason for joining the road circuit.
"My main is to win the Tour de France within the next three years. We have a good team and a good project and every reason to hope for success," she added.
The 148km ride is the fifth edition of the women's event and began at Denain before tackling the Franco-Belgian border region's old mining roads to Roubaix.
The men's 122nd edition race embarks from Compiegne on Sunday and Van Baarle will be riding alongside Wout van Aert with the pair both in with a chance.
All eyes however will be on reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar, also making his debut at the Paris-Roubaix.
Y.Wagener--LiLuX
