Young French star juggles road and mountain bike racing
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Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France)(Image credit: Tour of Japan)
Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France)(Image credit: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor)
Pauline Ferrand Prevot brought France up to 3rd at the end of lap 3(Image credit: Tour of Japan)
Pauline Ferrand Prevot(Image credit: Xander van Ommen Photography)
Pauline Ferrand Prevot didn't have a great day at the cross country mountain bike world championships last week in Hafjell, Norway, but that didn't stop her from celebrating a good 2014 season and looking ahead to next season.
After two broken chains and having to run almost a half lap to get to a tech zone, the talented, young French road and mountain bike star told Cyclingnews that she will do more mountain bike racing in 2015 than she did this season.
"Next year, I want to do all the mountain bike Worlds Cups. I think it will be nice," said Ferrand Prevot. "I will also do the road. It will be good to race both."
When asked how she manages changing between the two disciplines, she said, "I think it's important to keep a good balance between the road and the mountain bike. I try to chose my races and to rest as possible."
"Also, the position is not the same between my bikes. So to switch back and forth, I need to make sure I also train on my mountain bike and practice the technical riding."
Ferrand Prevot was disappointed about her race at mountain bike Worlds where she had been expected to battle another under 23 female phenom, Jolanda Neff, but she was keeping the race in perspective. She finished eighth.
"I did a great season, it was just bad luck today," she said.
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In 2014, she won the Nove Mesto and Albstadt mountain bike World Cups plus she is also the French road, time trial, cyclo-cross and mountain bike national champion. She was the best young rider and second overall at the Giro Rosa.
Her focus on the 2015 World Cups will be important in helping France qualify more spots for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Given 2012 Olympic champion Julie Bresset's struggles this season, the French team can't take for granted qualifying the maximum of two women.
Olympic qualifications for 2016 began in May of 2014.
Ferrand Prevot was the youngest road rider at the 2012 Olympics in London - she finished eighth. She also races cyclo-cross.
Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
