Pauline Ferrand Prévot Could be Signing with Ineos

Oct 6, 2022 at 5:52
by Ed Spratt  
Pauline like a bat out of hell increased her gap with every passing lap.

The racing rumours season is starting to heat up as it appears Pauline Ferrand Prévot could be joining Ineos in 2023.

While there are no public announcements just yet VeloNews has reported that two sources have confirmed the agreement for 2023. VeloNews says the first source said the deal was "100 percent" done with a second source stating Pauline would be Ineos' "first female racer".

Pauline has had an incredible season in 2022 with the XC, XCC and Marathon World Champ titles with a potential fourth rainbow jersey as she may be racing at the Gravel World Championships. It is not clear if a potential move to Ineos would mean road racing would be added to the French racer's calendar or what bike she would be riding. Currently, Tom Pidcock, who races for the Ineos Grenadiers team, rides blacked-out BMC bikes.

We have reached out to Ineos and will update the article if we hear any details.

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66 Comments

  • 40 3
 I preferred the rumours that she was spending a lot of time on an enduro bike. With her fitness and skills that would be cool to see.
  • 14 1
 Pinarello Enduro bike coming up?
  • 31 21
 She's not even half as skilled as Neff.
  • 31 4
 @jclnv: I love how people constantly compare the two post-Olympics, as if the ability to ride a step-down on an XC bike is what really separates riders at this level. Is Neff more skilled in certain respects? Maybe. Is she the better racer, I don't think so. But who cares. Both are great, and their rivalry is fun to watch.
  • 17 0
 @jclnv: in her defense I dont think any of us are
  • 13 0
 @jclnv: if skill is defined by someone's ability to compete in different disciplines, PFP has been World Champion in 3, compared to Neffs 1.

If it's bike handling, you're haven't watched much XC if you think Neff is twice as good.

I'll agree with you that Neff is the best bike handler in XC though.
  • 11 0
 @HankHank: 5 actually : road, cyclo cross, XCO, XCC marathon
  • 1 1
 @vtracer: Hope not. As a part time roadie I really like Dogmas but their eMTBs are embarrassing for the Pinarello name
  • 9 9
 @RogerMexico: You really think Neff only won the Olympics because of a stepdown? She destroyed PFP on every descent, especially over the wet rocks. In an EWS she would destroy PFP and probably every other woman.

PFP has a big engine but she won road worlds when the women's field was relatively weak. She wouldn't have a chance against the top road women these days. Right place at the right time.
  • 8 0
 PFP would not do well enduro racing. She'd have to relearn everything about racing: stop pedaling after 4 minutes, switch her helmet from left grip to right grip while making her way to the next start that's 45 minutes away (2 miles) then sit around and talk for additional 45 minutes about "that one rock where I lost at least half a sec."
  • 6 2
 @RogerMexico: PFP has adopted the Marianne Vos approach to racing, peak for a few high value races a year, Worlds, Olympics. Not what I like to see in a racer but its successful. FYI, Neff is head and shoulders above PFP when it comes to driving a bike, pretty easy to see when watching them race.
  • 5 1
 @jclnv: No, I obviously don't think that's the reason Neff won the Olympics and I did not say that. Also Pauline's crash happened early on (btw, they were neck and neck at the time, and the clear lead group), so it makes sense that Neff would have proceeded to win out on every descent moving forward. All that being said, Neff raced brilliantly that day and PFP blew it with the early strategic mistake.

I guess Neff would destroy every other woman in a hypothetical EWS?

You're right about PFP "right place right time" in winning the road worlds. Won't argue with you there.

But I will make a point that PFP has incredible bike skills and I seriously question why people constantly make the comparison between her and Neff, as if PFP doesn't know how to ride a bike and wins because she has good fitness. To me, that's ridiculous (not saying that's what you're arguing, btw). Case in point, PFP destroyed the field at Les Gets this year on a hardtail and was the only woman racing a hardtail that day and put time on Neff in second place on the downhill finish chute after Lap 1.
  • 37 2
 That thread of dudes discussing the ability of a woman that landed 3 rainbow jerseys this season is just what I needed to read
  • 5 6
 @RogerMexico: After PFP brake checked that drop forcing Neff to ride of the side and nearly eat shit. 2:20 in this happened - www.youtube.com/watch?v=x71jXaPtJ-o

There you will see that PFP ran out of talent. Neff even looks back at her with a WTF expression. Completely different planet bike handling wise.
  • 1 1
 @dirtologist: except the person that started the fire, the rest either backed PFP or gave a good argument. The only input you've given is to sit on the fence and assume everyone in this thread is male... (I think you're right, but come on, you can do better than that)
  • 8 0
 @jclnv: LOL, ran out of talent? She currently is world champ in XCO, XCC, and XCM. She has oodles of talent. She messed up on an obstacle, it happens to everyone, it doesn't equate running out of talent.
  • 6 0
 @jclnv: You're a hard man to impress Smile

On the day of worlds, Prevot won over Marianne Vos, Lizzie Armistead, Emma Johannson, Chantel Blaak, Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Longo-Borghini, Rachel Neylan et al.
  • 6 0
 @jclnv: so we are judging two women’s XC racers by how they might do against each other in some hypothetical EWS race, which neither of them actually ride in?

Got it.
  • 2 0
 @jclnv: “ran out of talent” … huh?
  • 4 1
 All right, I admit it, she’s quite good.
  • 4 0
 @jclnv: She is. She won the Reunion Megavalanche in front of Melanie Pugin, just crowned in the EWS. And Neff is impressive, I admit it too. The women field doesn't run out of talent ;-) !
fullattack.cc/megavalanche-de-la-reunion-2021-pauline-ferrand-prevot-et-hugo-pigeon-victorieux
  • 2 0
 @jclnv: maybe be which one has the most wins and titles?
  • 3 0
 @cypher74: I just like complete mountain bikers. Imagine if all the courses were legit like St Anne. Maybe Neff would be unbeatable.
  • 2 0
 @jclnv: beating a dead horse here but PFP has won twice at Mont-Sainte-Anne Smile
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: So do you watch downhill and judge riders on who you think might do better if the course had a few climbs?
  • 2 0
 @RogerMexico: And Neff has won it 4 times.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: hahah, you're incorrigible!
  • 1 0
 @RogerMexico:
  • 1 0
 @Feideaux:
Thank you.
  • 1 0
 @HankHank: Oups, 6 now...
  • 2 0
 @Ricolaburle: Got lucky again.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: Sure. Luck. And this morning too.
  • 1 0
 @Ricolaburle: I'm all "It would sure would be cool to see PPP race enduro", then the internet wires just about melt from people arguing. sheesh.
  • 27 1
 BMC "But we are going to have an auto dropping seat post next year!"
Ineos " we have so much money, we will hire a team of people to run around the course and push the seat down for you"
  • 15 2
 I want an elite top ten XC racer to compete on an aliexpress open mold frame. Please it would be so glorious
  • 3 1
 Stephan Tempier basically did that on the Decathalon Rockrider. Which, at 2300 euros for a full build looks like an absolute steal.

www.decathlon.co.uk/p/mp/rockrider/refurbished-xc-900-s-29-full-suspension-carbon-mountain-bike-small-a-grade/_/R-p-88a9b0aa-345d-4c80-9e58-ee46a60ce535?mc=88a9b0aa-345d-4c80-9e58-ee46a60ce535_c1&c=BLACK
  • 6 0
 That and watching a top enduro racer competing on the Grim Donut.
  • 7 0
 Gerhard Kerschbaumer was riding for Torpado in 2018 on what was a badged open mold frame. I believe it was the Hongfu 258b frame.
  • 2 0
 @cgreaseman: I don't think the rockrider is an aliexpress open mold. However Torpado or Olympia bikes are definitely chinese Scott Knock-offs.
  • 6 0
 There was a post on her IG stories back on Sept 21 about her "filming all afternoon long for my new team announcement"

It's gone now though... here's a screencap:

i.imgur.com/hhdCWlc.png

There's a dropbar bike shown in shadow in this IG post Wink
  • 1 0
 Probably the new BMC Kaius that she will be using for gravel worlds.
  • 1 0
 Definitely does not look like a Pinarello.
  • 3 0
 This was originally on a European MTB website about a month ago; but now a road biased website has found out it's appeared on here.
There were actually two different rumours; one about going to the Ineos team to ride MTB. the other was riding for a team sponsored by Ineos, but not connected to the well known cycling team.
  • 3 1
 Target race planing should be out by penalizing racers not completing 90% of the season races.
All the above as entry ticket to the world champs.
Pauline is a top rider but she isn’t playing a full game. Armstrong allow head a way to quit few tours every year to save himself to the peek in the tour de france.
  • 2 0
 I agree with this to a certain extent (so long as the lesser financed athletes and privateers aren't penalized). The UCI definitely needs to improve how they schedule the races though.
  • 4 0
 great move for PFP if actually happening.
  • 2 1
 In 2022 there surely has to be an ethical question of being sponsored by not just a gas guzzling 4wd, but one that is a blatant rip off of another brand and also still not released.
  • 2 0
 The 1941 Willis Jeep?
  • 1 0
 It is not a rip-off, it is basically the same car, just completely new build, with the same old BMW engine. Magna-Steyr built some other great cars before. I would not mind the Ineos badge, if I could afford it if I needed it - which is both not the case.
  • 3 0
 "PFP parts ways with..." story coming to a bike website near you soon.
  • 10 0
 I think that has been a given for a while, has to be a little awkward when your longtime ex boyfriend is your boss. Obviously she handled it amazing this year, but after the year she has had, she can pick where ever she wants to go.
  • 1 0
 The other rumor I've heard is not exactly the same : Pidcock would create its own structure for MTB racing and PFP would be part of it.
  • 2 1
 To question if she will do any road racing is comically crappy journalism. Who is she going to race for?
  • 1 0
 Now all the big money road teams are heading to MTB
  • 1 0
 Confirmed
  • 5 8
 She should be signing these nuts
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