The Frenchwoman crushed competition in the Reine stage on Saturday at the top of the Madeleine pass and touches a coronation that would be historic for French sport.
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At the top of the Madeleine pass, there were almost only disappointed and faces marked by cold and effort. When half Vollering struggled to catch her breath in the middle of the cameras agglutinating around her, Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt was heading for the podium to celebrate, and her stage victory, and her first yellow jersey. “Today, she has proven that she is the biggest champion in our sport”recognized Stephen Delcourt, the manager of the FDJ-Suez team, who had put everything in place to be in the French place.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt was taken in the whirlwind of protocols and media stresses. “I’m not the type to enjoy, but I have to force myself to do it”she promised hot at the microphone of France Télévisions. “I knew I was fine, but you never know how the others are. I knew that this effort had to be managed for 1:20, 1h30 climb, it was a bit like a mountain bike effort, where there is the red zone and you have to put yourself at the level but not exceed it, and that I know that I can do it “she analyzed, appreciating in passing the big relay offered by teammate Marion Bunnel, allowing her to decraim Gigante Sarah 8 km from the summit.
When doing the accounts, “PFP” postponed all the competition to more than 1’45 “and has 2,37” in advance on its closest pursuer before the last day of the race. “No one is really aware, I think, of the prowess that it is. We say that [Tadej] Pogacar is a phenomenon, Pauline is another “ignited Marion Bunel, tenth of the queen stage. “We did not expect such differences, it’s incredible “reacted another teammate, Lieke Nooijen.
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Faced with the wonder of his entourage and the public, Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt let flow a few tears, splitting the shell for the first time in this Tour de France women. “It was a long preparation since the World Cup last year. After an Olympic title, it was risky to get into such a project. I know what I need to succeed. Sometimes it may seem weird to people. If I am letting me do what is good for me, I know that I can reach the goal that I set out”she traced, a year and a five days after her Olympic title in Cross-Country mountain biking in Elancourt.
So obviously, the champion she is does not want to be sacred too early. There is still a beautiful mountain stage to compete. “This gap is obviously an advantage, but tomorrow is still a difficult step. It should not be underestimated because the arrival is not at the top”warned its sports director Jos Van Emden, to the joy as cold as the temperature at the top of the Madeleine. “Jhe doesn’t want to celebrate too early, I know what it is to be in the leader’s chair and get it dislodged at the last minute “supported the Dutchman, seven times second in a career time trial. The Champagne Cup will wait tomorrow.
