Pauline Ferrand-Prévot wins gold at Paris 2024

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won gold at Paris 2024 in the Mountain Biking with a dominant display, winning by nearly three minutes over the rest of the field.

A strong start saw PFP slot into third in the opening moments, before the Frenchwoman surged into the lead on a lumpy circuit at Elancourt Hill. The pace that was injected into the race saw a group of four, led by Pauline, go clear inside the first of seven laps.

On the first ascent of the second lap, Ferrand-Prevot put the hammer down, going solo and quickly building an advantage over the chasers. By the end of the lap the gap was over 30 seconds.

From there, the five-time XCO World Champion never looked back, powering up every incline and skilfully navigating every descent to draw the gap out further and further. By the end of the penultimate lap, the lead was over three minutes, and, as the Frenchwoman rounded the final bend, the enormity of what she had achieved hit her.

Pauline would cross the line to claim a first Olympic title, winning by a stunning margin of 2’57” to cap off a remarkable season on the trails.