Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt made history on Saturday by becoming the first French winner of the Paris-Roubaix women’s race. The 33-year-old defied illness and recovered from a crash during the grueling race to claim what she described as possibly the greatest win of her career.
The race, covering 148.5 kilometers and featuring 29.2 kilometers of notorious cobbled sectors, proved as tough as ever. Known as the “Hell of the North” for its punishing terrain, Paris-Roubaix has quickly become a modern classic in the women’s cycling calendar since its debut in 2021.
Despite being under the weather in the days leading up to the race and unsure whether she would even start, Ferrand-Prévôt pushed through to not only compete but dominate. A crash on one of the cobbled stretches with 54 kilometers to go briefly disrupted her rhythm, but she quickly rejoined the peloton, seemingly unfazed by the fall.
Originally riding in support of her Visma-Lease a Bike teammate, Marianne Vos, Ferrand-Prévôt saw an opportunity and seized it. With about 18 kilometers remaining, she launched a bold solo attack. Sensing hesitation among the chasing group, she committed fully to the move, building a lead that would ultimately prove unassailable.
Entering the iconic Roubaix velodrome alone, Ferrand-Prévôt crossed the finish line to the roar of the crowd, securing a memorable solo victory. She finished 58 seconds ahead of Italian Letizia Borghesi and one minute, one second clear of Dutch sprinter Lorena Wiebes, who took third place.
Her win adds to an already illustrious career that includes a world road race title in 2014 and an Olympic mountain bike gold medal at the Paris Games in 2024. With Saturday’s triumph, she has now conquered one of cycling’s most brutal one-day races, further cementing her status as one of the sport’s most versatile and resilient athletes.
“It’s amazing to win here,” she said at the finish. “I wasn’t even sure I would race this morning, but I’m so glad I did. I had a gap, and I just tried to keep going until the end.”
She also reflected on a personal connection to the event: her partner, Dylan van Baarle, won the men’s race three years earlier. “Now we have two trophies at home,” she said, smiling.
Marianne Vos finished fourth, while Canadian Alison Jackson rounded out the top five. Defending champion and road race world champion Lotte Kopecky finished 12th, more than two minutes back, with Britain’s Pfeiffer Georgi and Zoe Backstedt finishing 13th and 15th respectively.
Ferrand-Prévôt hinted this might be her last appearance at the race, saying with a grin, “The first, but maybe the last one. I just tried to survive the cobblestones.”
As the women’s race concluded with a landmark win, attention now turns to Sunday’s men’s edition. Tadej Pogacar, the reigning Tour de France champion, is set to make his debut in the Paris-Roubaix, becoming the first yellow jersey holder in 34 years to take on the brutal challenge. The 26-year-old Slovenian admitted some pre-race nerves but is eager to compete.
“Every race is hard to win and exciting,” he said. “We’re here and we go for it.”
With the men’s event promising its own drama, Ferrand-Prévôt’s victory will stand as one of the defining moments of this year’s Spring Classics.
