Pauline Ferrand-Prévot will lead Visma-Lease a Bike's GC ambitions on her debut at the Tour de France Femmes, sharing team leadership with Marianne Vos, who will chase stage victories.
The Dutch team confirmed their seven-rider squad three days ahead of the start of the 2025 Grand Départ in Vannes, with a mix of climbers and all-rounders to support their two leaders.
After returning to WorldTour road racing fully this season with a bang, Paris-Roubaix champion Ferrand-Prévot is ready will take on the likes of Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) in the fight for the yellow jersey.
The return of the women's Tour de France in 2022 is part of the reason Ferrand-Prévot returned to the discipline, with the long-term goal of winning it in the next three years. Her first attempt will start on Saturday in Brittany before the race is decided in the Alps.
"I had a very good training period there and was able to take the final steps towards the Tour," said Ferrand-Prévot, who was careful to note the importance of also learning on debut, despite aiming high.
"Of course we want to get the most out of it, but for me this Tour is above all an important moment to discover what it is like to ride a stage race of this level. This step fits into a long-term plan in which I want to gain experience and grow. Every stage is an opportunity to learn."
Ferrand-Prévot hasn't raced since pulling out of La Vuelta Femenina in May, due to a lingering ankle issue but the team manager, Rutger Tijssen, is confident that the 33-year-old is ready.
"We will go for the best possible result. Pauline is completely ready physically and mentally", Tijssen said.
"The past two months she has been able to prepare for the Tour in peace and quiet. We made a conscious decision not to ride races and focus on training. Whether that was the right choice, we will know on 3 August."
The final two mountain stages will reveal whether Visma got things right, with the Col de la Madeleine on stage 8 and the final day to Châtel leaving nowhere to hide for those chasing GC.
It's a new challenge for the highly-decorated multi-discipline world champion, but Ferrand-Prévot has excelled at practically everything she's tried over the years.
An equally successful Vos will lead Visma's stage hunting ambitions to start the nine days of racing, with women's cycling's greatest-ever rider eyeing a third stage win and third green jersey on her third appearance at the Tour.
Vos and Ferrand-Prévot have a strong Visma support squad alongside them, full of youthful talents, with top French rising star Marion Bunel set to play a vital role in the mountains, and 19-year-old Imogen Wolff linking up with the Dutchwoman again after proving her worth in the Classics.
Finishing off the seven-rider roster are Lieke Nooijen, Eva van Agt and Femke de Vries.
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