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#PaulineFerrandPrevot #TourdeFranceFemmes #CyclingComeback #VismaLeaseaBike #DylanVanBaarle #CyclingAccident #MindfulCycling #OffSeasonMode #JoyOfRiding #RoadCycling
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Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s 2026 road season will be remembered as a steep decline from her breakthrough 2025 triumph. After winning the Tour de France Women with Zwift and Paris-Roubaix the previous year, she became obsessively focused on defending her title, which ultimately stripped the joy from racing. She described feeling “lost” despite strong results like second at Tour of Flanders and third at Paris-Roubaix, and her season unraveled with a 38th-place time trial and early withdrawal from the Tour after just seven stages. Competing on only 19 days all year, she admitted she had “lost the joy of the everyday life” and became “over focus[ed] on winning.”
A turning point came in October when her husband, Dylan van Baarle, crashed into a car while training, sustaining a head impact and fractured wrist. Though he survived thanks to his helmet, the accident profoundly shifted Ferrand-Prévot’s outlook. She realized life encompasses far more than bike races, noting that supporting Dylan through his recovery—and later marrying him—brought a deeper sense of fulfillment than any professional victory. She described the wedding day as “another level of joy,” highlighting that she could be happy without sacrificing everything or living extremes.
Now stepping back from the relentless pursuit of results, Ferrand-Prévot feels mentally refreshed but acknowledges a long road ahead to regain race fitness. Her immediate goal isn’t a podium, but simply “find[ing] back the joy to be on the bike.” With the right balance, she hopes to recapture the unexpected success of 2025, though she knows hard work and patience will be essential.
