Defending champion Ferrand-Prévot abandons Tour Femmes ahead of stage 8
The defending champion will not take to the start of Saturday's eighth stage that runs 171.9km from Sisteron to Nice.
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Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) has abandoned the Tour de France Femmes ahead of stage 8.
Visma | Lease a Bike confirmed in a statement on Saturday that the defending champion will not take to the start of the penultimate stage due to Ferrand-Prévot feeling unwell.
Ferrand-Prévot endured a difficult Tour compared to last year, admitting that she was “simply not at the level required” after seeing her GC ambitions definitively fade on the slopes of Mont Ventoux on stage 7.
Speaking post-stage 7, team manager Rutger Tijssen confirmed that the team were actively trying to figure out the reasons for the defending champion's struggles.
"We simply weren't good enough today. We’ll have to figure out exactly why in the coming period. We’ll draw up a new plan for tomorrow. A new race, new opportunities," Tijssen told Indeleiderstrui.
At the time of her withdrawal, Ferrand-Prévot sat 14th in the GC, 14:37 behind race leader Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM), who claimed victory on the ‘Bald Mountain.’
Ahead of stage 8, the 2024 champion Niewiadoma-Phinney leads the 2023 champion Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) by 15 seconds. Marlen Reusser (Movistar) sits third overall at 39 seconds after losing the yellow jersey on Mont Ventoux.
Meanwhile, Visma's highest-placed rider in the GC following the withdrawal of Ferrand-Prévot is Femke De Vries. The 32-year-old Dutchwoman ended stage 7 in 17th overall, 20:16 from the yellow jersey.
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