Ferrand-Prévot Says Obsession Cost Her Joy
The cyclist said her focus on winning the Tour de France Femmes again left her losing the joy of everyday life.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Cycling
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Pauline Ferrand-Prévot said she became so fixated on winning the Tour de France Femmes again that she lost the joy of everyday life. She withdrew from the 2026 Tour after stage 7 and did not race again for the rest of the year.
Why it matters
Ferrand-Prévot's reflection, shared on Instagram, points to the mental toll of elite cycling's demands on athletes at the top of the sport. Her account followed a collision involving her husband, Dylan van Baarle, which she said made her realize life is more than winning bike races.
Ferrand-Prévot competed in 19 days of racing in 2026 and finished 38th in the Tour de France Femmes time trial, after winning the 2025 Tour on her first attempt. Her post does not say when she expects to return to racing or to a competitive level.
The players
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
A French professional cyclist who won the 2025 Tour de France Femmes on her first attempt and has also won Paris-Roubaix.
Dylan van Baarle
A Dutch professional cyclist and Ferrand-Prévot's husband, who was injured in a collision with a car while training in Tiel, Netherlands.
The details
In an Instagram post, Ferrand-Prévot wrote that her obsessive focus on winning again had cost her the joy of everyday life, and that performances in later stages fell short before she withdrew after stage 7. She said it will be a long way back to a decent level, and that the most important thing now is to find the joy of being on the bike again.
Timeline
2025 season: Ferrand-Prévot won the Tour de France Femmes and Paris-Roubaix.
Early 2026: She took second at the Tour of Flanders and third at Paris-Roubaix.
2026 Tour de France Femmes: She withdrew after stage 7.
Early October 2026: Van Baarle collided with a car while training in Tiel, Netherlands.
October 31, 2026: Ferrand-Prévot posted her reflection on Instagram.
Season Trajectory
Ferrand-Prévot's 2026 season reverses the form she showed in 2025, when she won the Tour de France Femmes on her first attempt. Her withdrawal after stage 7 and her comment that it will be a long way back to a decent level mark a sharp fall in her season trajectory.
Ferrand-Prévot's withdrawal removes her from the rest of the 2026 racing calendar, so fantasy and team planning built around her results will need adjusting. Her comments suggest no timeline for a return to competition.
The takeaway
Elite athletes can lose sight of the everyday life that sits beside their sport when winning becomes the only measure of success. Ferrand-Prévot's reflection shows that stepping back from competition can be a way to rediscover the reason they started riding.
Further reading
For more on the sport, see Cycling coverage across the Tour and classics season.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Velo.
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