'It was a big mess' - Pauline Ferrand-Prévot says tactical game went wrong among major favourites at Rwanda Worlds

Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot expressed her disappointment with how the elite women's race unfolded at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali on Saturday, implying a tactical game gone wrong had occurred among the major favourites.

The Frenchwomen lined up with one of the strongest teams of seven riders, as did rival nations, the Netherlands for Demi Vollering and Italy for Elisa Longo Borghini, but in the end, none of them ended up on the podium.

"Yes, for sure," Ferrand-Prévot said when asked if the three big names were looking at each other too much, effectively allowing a strong breakaway to go with Canadian Magdeleine Vallieres storming to the world title ahead of silver medallist from New Zealand Niamh Fisher-Black and bronze medallist from Spain Mavi García.

"And Demi was non-stop on my wheel. So, if I was moving, then she moved with me. At the end, Kasia [Niewiadoma-Phinney] didn't want to ride, and it was a big mess. It is also how you play the game."

Ahead of the race, Ferrand-Prévot told Cyclingnews that she had recovered from her Tour de France victory and was ready to fight for a career 16th rainbow jersey across road, cyclocross, gravel and mountain bike.

She benefited from the impeccable teamwork of Juliette Labous, Évita Muzic, Léa Curinier, Cédrine Kerbaol, Marie Le Net and Maeva Squiban. And when a breakaway went up the road, Kerbaol, Muzic, and Labous were all active, but none were able to make it up to the front.

"They did a very good job. I'm not disappointed in myself. I'm more disappointed for my teammates because they gave everything for me. But it is also part of cycling, you know? You can't always be good or win," she said.

Vallieres, Fisher-Black and García split off the front of the reshuffling but decisive move on the final, while the main group behind, including Ferrand-Prévot, Longo Borghini and Vollering, hovered at roughly a minute behind.

"Today was very tactical, and we let a lot of girls go up front with a big gap. Behind, no one wanted to close the gap, so it was very tactical," Ferrand-Prévot said.

"They were thinking that I was as good as I was at the Tour de France, and I was not, so it was hard for me to make a strong attack and to make the decision."

Ferrand-Prévot finished 16th at 1:50 behind Vallieres. "In the end, I have nothing to regret. I think we all gave our best and we can't be happy with it, but we also can't be really sad."

Subscribe to Cyclingnews to unlock unlimited access to our coverage of the first-ever UCI Road World Championships on African soil. Our team of journalists will bring you all the major storylines, in-depth analysis, and more directly from the action in Rwanda as the next rainbow jerseys are decided. Find out more.