Pauline Ferrand-Prevot shrugs off Paris-Roubaix win as 'training' as she sets startling Tour de France goal

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot shook off her involvement in the multi-rider crash to secure victory at the 2025 Paris-Roubaix and her sights are now firmly set on the biggest road race of the year. The Visma-Lease A Bike star, who secured her first win on the road since 2015 on Saturday, said she wants to win the Tour de France "within three years", a feat TNT Sports' Breakaway team feels is in her reach.

Ferrand-Prevot makes history with Paris-Roubaix triumph – ‘What a comeback!’

Video credit: TNT Sports

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot brushed off her Paris-Roubaix victory as mere "training" for the Tour de France Femmes as the Frenchwoman set her sights on winning the summer showpiece "within three years".

Despite being caught up in a multi-rider crash around 50km from the finish line, former mountain biking sensation Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) staged a stunning attack with 25km to go to secure her first road race victory since 2015.

Speaking after her triumph, the 2014 world champion said she "didn't expect" such a positive start to her comeback on the road.

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"I was confident this team could do something very good, it was a great day for us," Ferrand-Prevot said.

"For sure, I didn't expect this, to be honest. Also, I was not planning for Flanders and Roubaix. Because I felt good, I said 'why not'? I want to try.

"It's good training to get in position for the first stage of Tour de France. I wanted to take this racing as training. It's not too bad, I have to say. I'm really enjoying my comeback on the road and I'm really happy.can we

"Tour de France is the main goal of the season. I really want to be 100% for Tour de France. I want to try to win the Tour de France within three years, so I think it's a good step. We are building something really strong together as a team."

Ferrand-Prevot targets Tour de France in three years after successful road return at Paris-Roubaix

Video credit: TNT Sports

'Ferrand-Prevot is well and truly back'

Ferrand-Prevot's title-laden cross-country career culminated with an Olympic gold medal in Paris last year, and upon announcing she would return to the road, the 33-year-old referenced the Tour de France as a particular goal.

TNT Sports cycling expert Dani Christmas feels Ferrand-Prevot's return to the road has exceeded expectations, and said the Frenchwoman stands in good stead to achieve her goal.

"A rider like her is always going to have a lot of respect," Christmas said on The Breakaway.

"The achievements she's had in the past years, and of course how successful she's been on the mountain bike, she's a very classy bike rider.

"But when you say, 'I want to come back and win the Tour de France', I think there were a few people thinking 'OK, it's changed quite a bit since you were last racing.

"We take our hat off to her now because that was an incredible performance. It's not a fluke, we've seen it time and time again already this season that she's been performing at the top level. She is well and truly back."

Paris-Roubaix winner Ferrand-Prevot caught up in multi-rider crash

Video credit: TNT Sports

Fellow expert Dani Rowe described the Paris-Roubaix triumph as "huge" for Ferrand-Prevot, and confessed to being somewhat surprised by the "attributes" she displayed on the notorious, cobbled terrain.

"Paris Roubaix is something completely different," Rowe said. "When she said about trying to win the Tour de France, I thought it was within her capability.

"She's got a team behind the scenes, same coaches, they know what it requires.

"When it comes to Paris-Roubaix, it requires so much power, just different attributes of riders I thought would be less suited to Ferrand-Prevot. So this victory, for me, is huge."

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