France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prévot exorcised the ghosts of her previous Olympic disappointments with a skillful performance, securing a heartfelt gold medal in the women’s mountain biking event. However, it was a day of mixed emotions for the host nation as Loana Lecomte suffered a serious injury in a crash.
For Ferrand-Prévot, this victory was monumental, years in the making, and likely her final race in mountain biking. The 32-year-old, a five-time world champion, had previously placed 25th in London 2012, had to withdraw due to a crash at the Rio Olympics, and faced a puncture in Tokyo.
“I’ve been in robot mode for the last few months, like a hermit,” Ferrand-Prévot shared. “I haven’t communicated with anyone. I just focused on training, eating, and sleeping.”
Now, having finally secured an Olympic gold, she is looking to transition into road racing. “I aim to prepare for the Tour de France Femmes and aspire to win the Tour next year,” she stated.
Team GB’s Evie Richards, competing in her second Olympic Games, finished fifth, just 25 seconds shy of the podium, having made a notable recovery from a severe concussion less than two months prior. “Considering I was bedridden with a concussion seven weeks ago, finishing fifth is fantastic,” Richards noted. “I sustained a significant head injury and spent nearly six weeks off my bike.”
“There were times when it was genuinely frightening, and I doubted my recovery. I didn’t believe I would qualify. I put in an immense amount of work during those five weeks, and I think that is evident today.”
The 27-year-old added: “I participated in a World Cup event, my first back, five weeks ago, and placed 30th. To finish fifth now, I never anticipated going from 30th to fifth, so I’m pleased with that outcome. I wanted to finish strong and wear a smile.”
While Ferrand-Prévot enjoyed a stroke of luck this time, her teammate Lecomte was not as fortunate, crashing midway through the race while navigating a rocky segment. The 24-year-old suffered a concussion and jaw injury and was transported from the scene on a stretcher.
Despite her past misfortunes, Ferrand-Prévot’s victory—arguably the most significant win by an Ineos Grenadiers-sponsored cyclist this year—seemed inevitable once she made her pivotal move on the second lap.
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Richards, part of the initial leading group, fell behind on the third of seven laps and couldn’t regain her position for a shot at the medals. She expressed no complaints. “It’s just a completely different course, but the Olympics always present unique challenges,” she remarked regarding the primarily gravel track. “Small mistakes can easily happen. It’s crucial to remain calm and focus on your lines.”
Despite some criticisms from Tom Pidcock, who described the venue in the Parisian suburb of Elancourt as “bland,” David Lappartient, the organizing committee’s president, called the event “magnificent.”
“This is exactly what we desired,” Lappartient said, who also heads the sport’s governing body, the UCI. “We were determined to host mountain biking here. While options existed in the Alps, we needed this to share it with the Olympic family, and it had to be in Paris.”
Pidcock will defend his Olympic title on Monday afternoon, and Richards anticipates that the “very fast” course will be favorable for both him and his Great Britain teammate Charlie Aldridge. “Charlie’s absolutely flying at the moment,” she noted. “I think they will both have an excellent race.”
