A demonstration and a good option on the final victory. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot knocked out the Tour de France by winning on Saturday at the top of the Madeleine pass, leaving its helpless competitors.
Upon arrival tried in Saint-François-Longchamp in Savoie, the Frenchwoman was able to enjoy a brilliant victory, alone, and see her first success on the Tour de France, which ends Sunday in Châtel.
One day and 124 kilometers from the end of this 2025 edition, the fourth since the recovery of the race by ASO, « PFP » has a comfortable mattress on its pursuers.
The Australian Sarah Gigante, her stage and general runner -up, points to more than two and a half minutes. The Dutch Demi Vollering, announced as the big favorite at the start of the event, completes the provisional podium in more than three minutes.
The others are even further, starting with the outgoing winner, the Polish Katarzyna Niewiadoma (4th at 3:40 am) and the Mauritian Kim Le Court, dispossessed Saturday of the yellow jersey that she had been wearing for two days but quickly released on Saturday.
The queen stage of the Grande Boucle crowned a great lady of the bicycle who made this season her return on a full -time road after having devoted herself for seven years to the mountain bike with the Olympic title in the highlight, a year ago in Paris.
The 33 -year -old Rémoise had given herself three years to win the Tour, her “Gamine dream”.
Unless there is a big failure, this dream will be reality on Sunday, in its first attempt.
The Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-lease a bike) during the 8th stage of the Tour de France female between Chambéry and Saint-François-Longchamp on August 2, 2025
Julien de Rosa / AFP
“I did not know what I was worth in the mountains compared to the other favorites, Demi (Vollering), Sarah (Gigante) or Katarzyna (Niewiadoma)”explained the leader of the Visma-Lease A Bike team.
“An example for little girls”
“But this morning (from Chambéry), I was confident. The ascent of Madeleine is an effort of an hour twenty comparable to what I used to do in mountain bike ”she said before praising the merits of her teammates, starting with her young compatriot Marion Bunel.
“In mid-Ascension, Marion (who had taken the lead in the favor of an early attack, editor’s note) awaited me to lead the train and allow me to recover for a few moments. My victory is also a team victory ”insisted the 2014 world on road champion.
“We will have to finish the work tomorrow (Sunday)”however tempers Pauline Ferrand-Prévot who, as a child, would have “Wanted to be a man to participate in the Tour”.
Because the female counterpart of the world’s largest race, imagined in 1955 by journalist Jean Leulliot, experienced a complicated story, marked by various attempts always doomed to failure.
But since 2022 and the rebirth of the test under the aegis of ASO, a company organizing the male event, the Tour de France female has finally conquered the public while obtaining a sporting and media legitimacy.
If she won on Sunday, Ferrand-Prévot will become the first Frenchwoman to win the event for 36 years and Jeannie Longo. While Bernard Hinault remains the last Frenchman to have imposed himself with the gentlemen in 1985.
The Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand-Prévot with her yellow jersey on the podium after her victory during the 8th stage of the Tour de France between Chambéry and Saint-François-Longchamp on August 2, 2025
Julien de Rosa / AFP
“If a Frenchman must succeed Bernard, I think it will be a Frenchwoman”had predicted Marion Rousse on the eve of the departure of the Tour in Vannes.
Euphoric on Saturday and ignoring her usual impartiality, the director of the test “Had tears in the eyes” Thinking about her debut in cycling when she and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot were only ten years old.
“What we live today will mark the history of sport and not just female sport. I am really happy for Pauline, who is an example for many little girls ”ignited Marion Rousse.