The women’s team of Visma | Lease a Bike is on the verge of a major acquisition. Multiple sources from WielerFlits report that the Dutch Women’s WorldTeam is close to finalizing negotiations with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. By signing the 32-year-old Frenchwoman, Visma | Lease a Bike aims to secure a strong contender for the overall victory in the Tour de France Femmes for the next several years, according to a report in WielerFlits.
Recently, it was announced that Ferrand-Prévot will retire from mountain biking after the Olympic Games in Paris. In that discipline, she has been the world’s best in recent years, winning the world championship in the XCO four out of the last five editions. Since October 2022, she has been riding for INEOS Grenadiers.
After the Olympics, Ferrand-Prévot plans to fully return to road racing. She became world junior champion on the road in 2010. She moved to the pros in 2011, immediately continuing to deliver strong results. This prompted Rabobank to give her a chance in 2012.
In 2014, she had a breakthrough year with a series of top results. She won La Flèche Wallonne, finished second behind Marianne Vos in the Giro Donne, and capped it off by becoming world champion on the road. The following winter, Ferrand-Prévot also claimed the cyclo-cross world title, and in 2015, she decided to focus more on mountain biking, where she also became world champion that same year.
PFP returns to a team with multiple world champion Marianne Vos, with whom she celebrated many successes at Rabobank.
Wielerflits also reported that Ferrand-Prévot’s arrival ensures that top talent Fem van Empel can further develop in her shadow. Van Empel has dominated the ‘cross scene and has done a limited road programme. At the Tour de l’Avenir Femmes, she took the points jersey and a stage win. She finished 11th overall at the Giro d’Italia Donne, taking a few seconds in stages as well. This Spring she rode the Tour of Flanders, and the Amstel Gold race, and Flèche Wallonne. Flèche was her best result, finishing 8th.
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