French cyclist Pauline Ferrand Prevot finally took her long-desired Olympic medal at the home Olympics Paris 2024 thanks to her preparation focusing on all aspects, both physical and mental.
PARIS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Sometimes you need patience for Olympic success, but more than that, you have to prepare correctly: that is the lesson that can be taken from Pauline Ferrand Prevot's gold medal ride in the women's mountain bike race on Sunday.
The Frenchwoman, who is competing in her fourth Olympic Games, explained she has focused on all aspects of preparation, both physical and mental, to finally take her long-desired medal.
"I think mental preparation is half of your total preparation, you train your body and push the boundaries and at times we forget what we do with our mindset," she explained afterwards in her press conference.
"We have to suffer, so my mental preparation allowed me to accept and almost enjoy the pain," added the cyclist.
At just over 230 meters, Elancourt Hill is the highest point of the Paris region, and on a hot and sunny afternoon after Saturday's rain, it was swamped in a sea of Tricolor flags.
Chants of 'Allez les Bleus' came from the French fans, while the Swiss rang cowbells, perhaps trying to give the modest height of Elancourt Hill a more Alpine feel.
Meanwhile, in the press stands, the ranks of reporters squinted at their computer screens and rubbed in high-factor suncream.
Sunday belonged to Ferrand Prevot: arguably the best female mountain bike rider in the world and the holder of 12 World Championship gold medals, but a rider who had failed to take a single medal in her three previous appearances in the Olympic Games.
The 32-year-old finished well down in 25th place at London 2012, failed to finish in Rio four years later, and was 10th at Tokyo 2020 after suffering a puncture and a crash. Was she jinxed in the Games? Some asked. Was it just not meant to be for her?
It was time for Ferrand Prevot to make her own destiny and she began to write it from the start, riding away on the first climb of the race.
"I was just on a mission and it was about going for gas on the uphill, recovering on the downhill. I focused on that and rode my own race," she said.
At the end of the second lap, she had a 28-second lead over the rider behind her. That stretched to a minute after the third lap and then to three minutes where it stayed until the end.
Meanwhile the crowd, who never stopped cheering her on, moved from one area of the course to another like a human tide, trying to catch a glimpse and cheer her on, not that the Olympic champion heard them.
"I was like a robot: I didn't hear anyone on the course, maybe my coach, but not even my parents, who are here. I just focused on myself," she admitted.
Ferrand Prevot was in tears as she crossed the line, finally lifting a weight from her shoulders and the next finishers, Haley Batten and former Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds, wasted no time in giving her a hug, as did Puck Pieterse, robbed of a medal herself after a puncture.
There won't be many more popular champions in these Olympic Games, as Ferrand Prevot drew the curtain on her mountain bike career and opened the door on a new one.
"I made my decision to quit mountain biking, and I don't see myself doing this again," she revealed.
"Now I'll ride on the road. I will say in August which team I will join," added the cyclist, who will have a new target in 2025.
"I will be happy to prepare to win the Tour de France and try and win the Tour next season," concluded Ferrand Prevot. ■
