Two summers ago, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot soared to a historic home victory at the Tour de France Femmes, dominating the closing Alpine stages to deliver a first French Tour win in decades and the biggest win of her career.

She beat Demi Vollering by almost four minutes in Châtel, but this year the tables turned as Ferrand-Prévot endured a disastrous title defence, losing minutes in the Dijon time trial before falling out of contention in the Ardèche hills and conceding defeat on Mont Ventoux.