Mountain biking: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot enters history by winning her fourth world title in cross-country

La Française dominated the world championships in Gets on Sunday, and equaled the Norwegian record Gunn-Rita Dahle.

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The madness that took hold of the Haut-Savoyard of Gets station on the occasion of the historic triplet of the French mountain biking on Saturday August 27, did not evaporate. Sunday, for the cross-country events, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot rekindled the flame … and in what way. To conclude the golden week of tricolor mountain biking, the Rémoise won its fourth world title in the Olympic discipline, after its successes of 2015, 2019 and 2020.

“I am super happy, I do not realize yet, she rejoiced at the microphone of the channel the team. It’s just phew, I knew there was a way to do it, but he everything had to be put in place. “

The last mountain biking worlds organized in France – already in Gets – dated to 2004. The tricolor public was able to offer a supported ovation to the 30 -year runner. Largely in mind, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (“PFP”) took the time to celebrate her last hectomers before crossing the line, blue-white-red flag in hand, with a minute and thirty-five seconds ahead of the Switzerland Jolanda Neff and two minutes and thirteen seconds on the American Haley Batten.

🙌🇫🇷 World Champion 🌈🙌
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot flies over the Cross-Country Xco in Gets!
#Thequipevtt https://t.co/0gsyzmxr5c

– lachainelequipe (@la chain the team)

The big smile of “PFP” quickly succeeded tears of a lively and frank emotion. “I have based my whole season on this weekend,” she warned at a press conference on Thursday. If the objective was achieved brilliantly, everything was not easy this season for the 2014 road world champion, by her own admission.

a read of a complicated season

“I’m not old, but it’s been a long time since I’m at the high level. I had tops, stockings, she admitted to the L’Equipe chain. Two operations of The iliac artery, team problems this year, we must not hide it. It was a very complicated season on a personal level. So I also took the time to digest everything that had happened This winter and tried to rebuild me. “However, no feeling of revenge-” for losers, “she said-animated the Marnese when arriving at Gets.

No frustration, either, compared to his second unhappy place at the European Munich Championships in Germany, Sunday August 21. At the top the vast majority of the race, she had to give in the title that was promised to her young teammate, Loana Lecomte (23 years old), because of mechanical boredom.

The form was there, despite everything. His first global coronation in the short-track, acquired on Friday, was the confirmation. It only remained a realization, Sunday, in the major weekend race.

For this, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot copied her Munich strategy by flying away from the first of the six racing laps. “The strategy was to leave quickly,” confirms on the Channel L’Equipe Yvan Clolus, the manager of the French team. “I was in front from the start, I was repeating myself:” Do not make mistakes, Pauline, especially don’t make mistakes “,” said the world champion with a smile.

The gap on his prosecutors quickly exceeded the minute and a half and “PFP” assured in the technical parts of the course while being impressive in each ascent. This time, the mechanics did not seize itself. Nothing could hinder his quest for the rainbow jersey and, in fact, prevent him from writing a new page in the history of mountain biking. 2> a new record

By winning a fourth world cross-country title, the Frenchman equals the Norwegian record Gunn-Rita Dahle. “The records with records, I see a little like something grumpy, who need it to tell their grandchildren” younger, I did that “, so as not to be forgotten by history , she explained to the world last week. I don’t have this kind of suction. What motivates me are beautiful races, unique moments of life to give everything to surpass … “

Sunday, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot combined the listing of the prize list with emotions. The French public did not ask for better. Unless, perhaps, a second tricolor on the podium, at the foot of which Loana Lecomte finally finished.

/Media reports.