Ferrand-Prévot to Rabobank Women Team

The Rabobank Women Team has conformed this week-end that French Pauline Ferrand-Prévot will be joining the squad in 2012. The French up-and-coming talent has signed a two-year deal with the Dutch outfit alongside Russian rider Tatiana Antoshina.

Ferrand-Prévot, who is widely recognised as the biggest all-round talent in French cycling, is only 19 years of age and has already won three World Championships in the Junior ranks: two on a mountain bike and one on the road. Successful in all three cycling disciplines, she is is currently racing cyclo-cross events to prepare for the French Championships. In 2012, Ferrand-Prévot wants to qualify for both the MTB and the road races at the London Olympics. She is set to combine the cycling disciplines at least for another two years.

Russian rider Antoshina, who has signed a one-year-contract, is a strong time triallist and stage racer. The 29-year-old is currently in eleventh place on the UCI rankings and this year finished second in the Women's Ronde van Vlaanderen, splitting her new teammates Annemiek van Vleuten (winner) and Marianne Vos (third-placed).