Ferrand-Prévot pulls plug on dream 2025 season after falling ill, Vasseur leaves Team Cofidis as long-running French squad faces WorldTour relegation.
Ferrand-Prévot will not race the European championships Saturday and ends 2025 with illness. (Photo: DIRK WAEM/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Published October 2, 2025 03:36AM
Reigning Tour de France Femmes champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot will not race Saturday’s road race at the European championships after falling ill, team officials confirmed.
Ferrand-Prévot suffered stomach problems and fever overnight Tuesday, and after medical exams, doctors ruled her out for Saturday’s road race, L’Equipe reported. Maëva Squiban is also out for the French, with Dilyxine Miermont and Célia Le Mouel coming on as replacements for the Euros being contested on French roads.
“It changes that we lose two strong cards,” said French national coach Paul Brousse. “For Maëva, it had already appeared at the end of the week, she was not at her level. And when we replay the film, Pauline was also weakened on Saturday. That will reshuffle the plans.”
This withdrawal means the end of the season for Ferrand-Prévot, who stunned the peloton with her return to road racing in 2025.
After winning the Olympic gold medal in mountain biking in Paris 2024, the 33-year-old pivoted back to the pavement with spectacular results. She won Paris-Roubaix in the spring and then beat the pre-race favorites in the French Alps to become the first French winner of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Her dream season of capping off the year with the rainbow jersey was derailed in Rwanda when she finished 16th after the favorites let an early break stay clear to battle for the podium.
Vasseur exits as Cofidis names new GM with WorldTour uncertainty
Vasseur is out at Team Cofidis after eight seasons. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Cédric Vasseur is out at Team Cofidis after eight seasons as the long-running French squad faces an uncertain WorldTour future.
Team officials confirmed that ex-pro and marketing manager at Look Cycle International Raphaël Jeune will take over as general manager, just as Cofidis is looking at possible relegation for 2026 in the WorldTour rankings.
“Cofidis has been part of the peloton for 29 years as a unique sponsor. Today we are very happy to welcome Raphaël Jeune to write a new chapter of cycling at Cofidis,” said Gilles Sauret, president of Cofidis Group. “His experience, knowledge of international cycling, and management qualities will be valuable assets as we pursue our ambition to shine on the roads of the world.”
Vasseur, who took over the helm in 2017, elevated the team to the WorldTour in 2020 and directed the squad to two stage wins at the 2023 Tour de France.
“I leave Cofidis with great emotion and pride after intense years,” the ex-pro said. “I thank Cofidis Group, the riders, and all the staff for their trust and commitment, and I wish Team Cofidis many more beautiful victories.”
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Team Cofidis — which dates back to 1997 and also boasts a women’s squad — is under pressure to retain its UCI WorldTour men’s license beyond 2025.
In the latest rolling three-year rankings, the team slipped to 20th, beyond the top-18 threshold to gain WorldTour licenses for the next three-year cycle.
Israel-Premier Tech and Lotto both have earned enough points to earn promotion to the WorldTour for 2026, but there is a sliver of hope for Team Cofidis. Merger talks between Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto could mean an extra WorldTour slot could open up.
Cofidis and Uno-X, now ranked 19th, are separated by less than 300 points and are in a heated battle to close out the season as high as possible in the team rankings in case the merger goes through.