Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the defending champion of the Tour de France Femmes, withdraws from the race because she is feeling unwell. Multiple outlets report she pulls out ahead of stage 8, which is described as the race’s penultimate stage, and she does not continue with the title defense.
The reports characterize the exit as sudden and tied to sickness rather than performance or a team strategy decision. The Athletic and VeloNews both frame the withdrawal in the context of a troubled attempt to retain her crown. France 24 adds biographical context, noting that Ferrand-Prévot is a French cyclist who is also an Olympic champion in mountain biking at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
There is no disagreement across sources on the core facts: she is the defending champion, she feels unwell, and she abandons the event before stage 8. Coverage differs mainly in phrasing, with some outlets emphasizing how the title defense never fully gets underway.
