Ferrand-Prévot looks back fondly on last year's edition, during which she claimed two stage victories and secured the overall classification. This year, she returns to the Tour de France Femmes as the defending champion. "Starting the Tour as the defending champion is something very special and something I'm incredibly proud of. At the same time, last year's victory doesn't guarantee anything this time around. Everyone starts from scratch again."

Over the past few months, Ferrand-Prévot has focused entirely on preparing for the French stage race. Together with her teammates, she completed an altitude training camp in Tignes, a period she describes as extremely valuable. "We trained incredibly hard, but we also shared a lot of great moments together. It's inspiring to see how motivated everyone is. That gives me a great deal of confidence and energy heading into the Tour. I'm looking forward to chasing our goals together."

Following the Vuelta a España Femenina, everything for the 34-year-old Frenchwoman revolved around the Tour de France Femmes. "I've done everything I could to arrive at the start in the best possible shape. Together with the team, we've prepared meticulously, and I've received tremendous support from everyone around me. Now it's about trusting that preparation and being ready when the Tour gets underway in Lausanne."

The fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes starts on Saturday, August 1, in Lausanne, Switzerland, and finishes on August 9 in Nice. Like last year, the race features nine stages, including two demanding mountain stages and an individual time trial. Covering 1,175 kilometers and 18,795 meters of elevation gain, it promises to be the longest and toughest edition in the history of the Tour de France Femmes.

"It's going to be a very demanding Tour, especially with the expected heat," says Tijssen. "The route has everything: a time trial, several punchy stages, a stage that resembles Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and a summit finish on Mont Ventoux. I wouldn't necessarily say the Ventoux stage will decide everything, but naturally we expect significant time gaps to emerge there. There are more climbs throughout the race, although they're likely to be less decisive because they come earlier in the stages."

According to Tijssen, the team's objectives are crystal clear. "Our entire plan is built around achieving the best possible general classification with Pauline. Of course, she can't do that alone, we'll need the support of the other six riders. Everyone has a specific role to play. Femke will be Pauline's final domestique in the mountains, with Sarah supporting just ahead of her. Marianne will act as road captain, while Lieke and Daniek will focus primarily on positioning. Marion's role is to stay with Pauline for as long as possible in the high mountains."

"Our team has been selected to ensure Pauline is supported on every type of terrain. That doesn't mean there won't be opportunities for the other riders as well. If you're racing at the front, you're always in contention for victory. We saw that last year in the opening stage, when Marianne won and Pauline finished third. Of course, we're targeting stage victories again this year, but the general classification is, without question, our number one priority."

The Dutchman is confident Ferrand-Prévot can once again shine on home soil. "Pauline has had a long and excellent preparation. Since the Vuelta, she's focused heavily on sharpening her race fitness. We've also worked extensively on her time trialling with the help of several specialists. Now it's a matter of seeing how that preparation translates into race conditions. A time trial is always different from training or simulation, but we're confident in the work we've done and can't wait to get started."