Ferrand-Prevot starts Tour de France Femmes title defence

Ferrand-Prevot returns as the rider to beat

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot begins the Tour de France Femmes this weekend with a clear objective: repeat last year's triumph. That makes her campaign more than a standard GC bid. A defending winner starts with proof that the race can be solved, but also with the burden that every rival knows exactly who must be measured against.

The source story frames the central obstacle as the strength of the field, headed by in-form Dutch rival Demi Vollering. That matters because Ferrand-Prevot's task is not simply to match her previous level. She has to do it in a race where the reference point is no longer open-ended. Vollering's form gives the contest a defined challenger, which sharpens the tactical picture before the race even starts.

For serious cyclists, the takeaway is straightforward: this Tour de France Femmes opens with a clear defending champion narrative, but not a protected coronation. Ferrand-Prevot has the result history. Vollering has the momentum signal. The race will now test which of those matters more once the pressure starts to accumulate.

Full details are at the linked source.