Loana Lecomte gold medalist in cross-country mountain biking, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in silver

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The two French women largely dominated the race on Saturday. Lecomte finally won, taking advantage of a mechanical problem from Ferrand-Prévot.

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She confirmed expectations. Winner of the Mountain Bike World Cup last year, Loana Lecomte was crowned European champion on Saturday August 20 in Munich. The young Frenchwoman (22) won thanks to great consistency throughout the race. Lecomte was able to adapt to the pouring rain and then to the particularly muddy terrain. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, two-time defending champion, finished in second place, 37 seconds behind. Dutchman Anne Terpstra took bronze.

This silver medal looks like frustration for “PFP”. In the lead for part of the race, the six-time French champion in the discipline suffered a mechanical problem. Her chain derailed in the third lap (of seven), forcing her to a one-minute stoppage. This incident allowed Lecomte to overtake her.

Loana Lecomte and Pauline Ferrand Prévot took the lead on the second lap of the MTB race at the European Championships in Munich and played for victory. If the second was first isolated, a mechanical problem made him lose more than a minute, and at the same time the title. The two French women were ahead of the Dutch Anne Terpstra, 3rd, by more than 3 minutes. The third tricolor, Léna Gérault, finished 12th.

Despite the medal, this cruel scenario for Ferrand-Prévot resembles, ironically, that of the Tokyo Olympics. A puncture, already in the third lap, had delayed her (10th). Lecomte, also frustrated, had nevertheless finished ahead of her (6th), in line with the evolution of the balance of power between the two riders. Untouchable in France between 2014 and 2019, Ferrand-Prévot has since ceded his national crown to Lecomte, double title holder. The domination of the latter now extends to the European scale.

Silver medalist in the ladies' mountain bike race, the outgoing European champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot handed over to Loana Lecomte, her compatriot. The 30-year-old Frenchwoman, reassured after the race to have regained her level of a few years ago, was smiling at the finish, when she had derailed in the third lap and saw the title fly away.


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