Let’s just be frank: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is ridiculous. You already know this, of course: a world champion on the road, in cyclocross, mountain bike and gravel, she is one of the greatest female cyclists to ever have ridden a bike. Scrap that, she’s one of the greatest and most versatile female athletes ever, period. Nothing she does or achieves should surprise us – put her on a bicycle, it doesn’t matter what type, and she’ll dance on the pedals, blast her rivals away, and create more history. But this, winning Paris-Roubaix on debut when she wasn’t even meant to ride it, when she’s only returned to the road after a seven year hiatus to win the Tour de France Femmes, not the flattest and most uncomfortable race of all, and when she’s been beset by infection and illness in the days and weeks before, is just ludicrous. Insane. Yes she’s Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, winner of pretty much everything, but still: Tour de France contenders aren’t built to win the Hell of the North – or at least that’s what we thought.

“It was not on my calendar, it was a last moment decision – I was supposed to be at altitude right now for three weeks,” the Visma-Lease a BIke rider said after her momentous 58 second solo victory, courtesy of an attack from the leading group 25km from the end. “After Strade Bianche [where she finished third] and Milan-Sanremo [12th] I discussed it with my coach and said I would like to ride the Tour of Flanders [2nd]. One week later I asked if I could do Roubaix as well and they said I could.”

This article was published by Rouleur at Paris-Roubaix 2025. You can read the full article here.