{"id":2072595,"date":"2026-07-31T16:59:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T13:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2072595"},"modified":"2026-07-31T16:59:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T13:59:29","slug":"vollering-ferrand-prevot-niewiadoma-phinney-the-biggest-quotes-before-the-2026-tour-de-france-femmes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2072595","title":{"rendered":"Vollering, Ferrand-Prevot, Niewiadoma-Phinney: The Biggest Quotes Before the 2026 Tour de France Femmes"},"content":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s all to play for at the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.<\/p>\n
Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot became the reborn race\u2019s first French winner last year with a display that delighted home fans. However, she has not had a road success since her triumphs 12 months ago. It is all or nothing for the Visma-Lease a Bike multi-discipline superstar this week.<\/p>\n
2023 winner and reigning Giro champion Demi Vollering has unfinished business after falling narrowly short in the last two years.<\/p>\n
A consistent podium finisher for this entire decade, former champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney should be discounted at her peril.<\/p>\n
You can throw the likes of TT titan Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team), experienced veteran Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-ProTime) or young hotshot Paula Blasi (UAE Team L\u2019IMAD) into the mix too.<\/p>\n
The race starts Saturday in the Swiss city of Lausanne and the favorites were not short of fighting talk ahead of the nine-day showstopper.<\/p>\n
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Here\u2019s what they had to say before the 2026 Tour de France Femmes:<\/p>\n
Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot: Defending champ back to zero<\/h2>\nWill the Frenchwoman make it two victories on the bounce? <\/span>(Photo: Gruber Images\/Velo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Tour or bust<\/strong> \nStarting the Tour as the defending champion is something very special. It\u2019s something I\u2019m incredibly proud of. At the same time, last year\u2019s victory doesn\u2019t guarantee anything this time around. Everyone starts from scratch again \u2026 my season goal was to be at 100 percent of my ability here. I wasn\u2019t aiming for victories in other races. You have to prepare specifically for the Tour, and that\u2019s what I did.<\/p>\n
Training over excessive racing<\/strong> \nWhen I was younger, I had the hunger to race a lot, but now I just prefer to train to build for an event and to go in altitude in training camp rather than racing more. I think it\u2019s because of age; I\u2019m now 34, and I don\u2019t have like the same motivation, I would say, to race every weekend.<\/p>\n
On Mont Ventoux, the vicious stage 7 decider<\/strong> \nIt\u2019s a hard climb. It\u2019s different than the Madeleine [which was crucial in last year\u2019s race] because I think the wind also will have more of an impact. It\u2019s a climb where, after Chalet Reynard, you need also quite some power because it\u2019s a flatter part \u2026 I think maybe we will have more like team tactics for Ventoux [than last year\u2019s Col de la Madeleine stage].<\/p>\n
Demi Vollering: Calmer and prepared for last-day showdown<\/h2>\nDemi Vollering of Team FDJ United \u2013 SUEZ meets the media press during the 5th Tour de France Femmes 2026 pre-race press conference. (Photo by Alex Broadway\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
No pressure<\/strong> \nI always like to think pressure is a privilege. It comes for a reason, so it\u2019s a good thing to have. Of course, it\u2019s also a very big motivation for myself to bring the yellow jersey to a French team. I love beautiful stories and I love to add this beautiful story to my list.<\/p>\n
Down to the wire <\/strong>The goal is always to be in front instead of behind. But still I believe that this Tour, every day is so hard that towards the end, there\u2019s still so many opportunities.<\/p>\n
Even the last day is super difficult. Like we showed in the Giro, everything can still change on the last day. So you should never give up or be unmotivated. I think it\u2019s going to be a fight until the very end.<\/p>\n
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A different mindset compared to the 2025 Tour<\/strong> \nI think for now what changed mostly is that I come into this Tour de France quite calm. I don\u2019t have the feeling I need to save my season on this Tour because I have won already so many beautiful races, and I\u2019ve really enjoyed this whole season with the whole team. We did such a great beginning of the season already.<\/p>\n
So I think for that, this season is already very successful. So that\u2019s for helpful. But also you just grow one year older, you get a bit more calm on everything. You you have seen and and learned so much on the way that you also take into your backpack.<\/p>\n
Marlen Reusser: Fit and raring to go at last<\/h2>\nMovistar racer Marlen Reusser wore a yellow jersey on the way to winning last month\u2019s Tour de Suisse. (Photo by Pascal von B\u00fcren\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
A love-hate Tour relationship due to past crashes<\/strong> \nThe first Tour de France was an amazing thing, I was riding with SD Worx and found myself always in support roles in all the editions I\u2019ve done. Last year, I was in a very bad state and had a full exhaustion again and couldn\u2019t ride.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the first year I\u2019m here, this is the target and I had at least the last one or two months that were good for preparation and I feel healthy. It\u2019s special now to finally be at the Tour in this way. I\u2019ve seen this race from many perspectives.<\/p>\n
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On being underestimated<\/strong> \nIt\u2019s always like this, before every race in my life, normally. The one exception, no joke, was Paris-Roubaix where the team didn\u2019t announce me and I was never on the start list, but I was with a big picture. Normally, people say \u2018Marlen? But it\u2019s climbing? Ach\u2019. It\u2019s like this, it\u2019s okay, I understand.<\/p>\n
Yellow jersey dreams on home roads<\/strong> \nThat would be so cool, it would be amazing to wear yellow. But of course, it\u2019s not our goal, we don\u2019t target this, it\u2019s the more Tour. But if it comes falling down from the sky, I will not say no.<\/p>\n
Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney: Seeking Strava KOMs and opportunities<\/h2>\nNiewiadoma is rarely shy to attack, as she showed at this year\u2019s Milan-Sanremo.<\/span> (Photo: Marco Alpozzi \u2013 Pool\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
On boldly taking opportunities<\/strong> \nDefinitely the TT is not my strongest side but I also had enough time to prepare for it. I accept the fact that I definitely will lose time to riders like Marlen or Anna [van der Breggen], Demi probably. It\u2019s all about finding opportunities elsewhere and after the TT until the end of the Tour, I feel like there\u2019s plenty of them so it\u2019s all about seizing the chance and not being too shy.<\/p>\n
Shooting for another yellow jersey <\/strong>The goal is clear \u2013 to win the yellow jersey, to wear it.\u00a0 The race will show, but I feel ready and prepared. I\u2019m ready to break Kim\u2019s KOM on Mont Ventoux. You have it right now, right? [to Le Court-Pienaar next to her]<\/p>\n
The difference Ventoux will make<\/strong> \nIt\u2019s definitely a very iconic climb. It\u2019s going to be hard, it\u2019s a long one, the steepest part in the forest and I don\u2019t believe anyone will be waiting until the final ks to make the actual decisive move. I think, even watching the guys race, we can all expect a hard start and then survival to the top.<\/p>\n
Kim Le Court-Pienaar: Climbing up the ranks<\/h2>\nLe Court Pienaar lit up the race, spending a spell in the yellow jersey 12 months ago. (Photo by Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Wanting no regrets<\/strong> \nOf course there\u2019s big goals, to reach the highest possible on the GC ranking, but also to finish the Tour with the feeling we gave everything we had and there\u2019s no regrets, and that there was nothing on our path that stopped us from getting where we wanted to go. For me, that\u2019s the most important, feeling you left it all out there.<\/p>\n
Improving in the mountains <\/strong>This year\u2019s route is looking really good, Classics vibes every day. And I think the Ventoux is a better climb than the Madeleine for me. I\u2019ve worked hard on my climbing, I\u2019ve not been the greatest climber in the past and I\u2019m still probably not the greatest but hopefully I can make a difference compared to last year.<\/p>\n
Paula Blasi: Underdog power<\/h2>\nBlasi rode, and rose, to the top at the Vuelta Femenina and could make it two grand tour wins in one season. (Photo: Szymon Gruchalski\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Favorite or helper?<\/strong> \nYou have both sides of the coin, let\u2019s say, but I have a pretty clear role these days so I\u2019m quite confident. I came here for experience and usually, I prefer coming as the underdog as well. Usually, the road speaks [ie. decides]. But yeah, the roles are pretty much clear and I will be there for them and I\u2019m really happy for that.<\/p>\n
On the Tour\u2019s aura<\/strong> \nMy memories are from last year because until then I was not really watching cycling, but it was really impressive. On TV, you really see all the crowds and how big this race is. I\u2019m quite excited for it \u2026 I think we have a team goal rather than an individual one: if we can keep the yellow inside the team, that would be good.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2288451743-scaled.jpg”] Andy McGrath Updated August 1, 2026 02:31AM It\u2019s all to play for at the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot became the reborn race\u2019s first French winner last year with a display that delighted home fans. However, she has not had a road success since her triumphs 12 months […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,71],"class_list":["post-2072595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2072595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2072595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2072595\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2072595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2072595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2072595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Ferrand](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Z8A_7809-2-2-720x670.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")
![](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2288454041-720x480.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")
![\"Marlen](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2282085173-720x480.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")
![\"Niewiadoma\"](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2267686950-1-720x480.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")
![\"CHAMBERY,](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2228079258-720x480.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")
![\"Paula](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2275300955-720x480.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")