Pauline Ferrand-Prévot – Bio, Career, and Relationship Details
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Pauline Ferrand-Prévot |
| Date of Birth | February 10, 1992 |
| Age (2025) | 33 |
| Nationality | French |
| Profession | Professional Cyclist (MTB, Road, CX, Gravel) |
| Active Team | Visma–Lease a Bike |
| Elite World Titles | 12 (MTB, CX, Road, Gravel combined) |
| Current Partner | Dylan van Baarle (Dutch cyclist, Team Visma–Lease a Bike) |
| Former Partner | Julien Absalon (French MTB legend) |
| Recent Achievement | 2025 Paris-Roubaix Femmes winner |
| Trusted Source | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Ferrand-Prévot |
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has subtly changed her role as cycling’s dominant all-terrain champion to that of half of a highly regarded professional sports couple in recent months. Although gold medals, podium finishes, and rainbow jerseys are nothing new to her, her developing relationship with Dutch cyclist Dylan van Baarle is quietly drawing attention in the world of professional cycling. Pauline and Dylan have developed a relationship that has become remarkably supportive and emotionally reassuring for both of them by standing by each other both literally and emotionally.
Her victory at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes in 2025 was particularly moving. Ferrand-Prévot admitted to feeling ill just hours before the race and was unsure if she would even start. However, she chose to ride because she wanted to support her teammate Marianne Vos and probably because she had memories of the ride. Amazingly, she prevailed. “My boyfriend won this three years ago, and now I’ve won it too,” she said at the end, in a straightforward but profoundly moving statement. That collective accomplishment gives a sport that so frequently centers on individual success an exceptionally personal touch.
For those who don’t know, Dylan van Baarle is more than just a supporting character in Pauline’s story. A key member of the Visma–Lease a Bike team, he is an expert in classics and a former Paris-Roubaix winner. Ferrand-Prévot’s stability and form have benefited greatly from their union, both romantically and athletically. She has recovered more quickly, raced more effectively, and approached situations with a discernible composure that points to a more robust mental structure during the past 12 months.
Her previous relationship with mountain bike legend Julien Absalon is very different from their current dynamic. A different era in French cycling was once defined by that partnership, but it ended amicably in 2021. Even after their split, they continued to collaborate as a team and work on common projects. Nevertheless, that past still carried an emotional burden, which made her eventual relationship with van Baarle feel remarkably energizing.
The naturalness with which they have started to appear together, both socially and competitively, is what makes this new relationship so evident in its strength. They took part in a symbolic race at the Kärcher Extreme in Curaçao in November 2023. Despite being marketed as a laid-back off-season getaway, the event attracted elite attendees. For the first time, Dylan and Pauline ran the 75-kilometer race together, finishing first with a combined time of 3 hours and 44 minutes. Beyond just being ceremonial, their well-coordinated ride demonstrated how closely their rhythms now mesh.
The symbolism was too strong to ignore, even though the race itself might not have had professional significance. Pauline was clearly at ease after a difficult period of illness at the end of the season. Dylan, who is renowned for his steady pacing and strategic calmness, added a level of stability that seemed to boost her energy. Their spontaneous, silently proud smiles after the race said a thousand words. A very strong bond was developing between two athletes who had been through heartbreaks in the past and had been honed by competitive excellence.
They have achieved success together without overexposure thanks to mutual respect, strategic race planning, and an extraordinarily adaptable training style. There isn’t any viral “couple content” or a stream of carefully chosen images. Rather, there is a purpose: supporting one another’s recuperation plans, attending races when it makes sense, and taking part in joint travel that fortifies their emotional rhythm.
Their dynamic becomes especially creative as Dylan gets ready for the men’s road race in Paris and Pauline gets ready for the gravel and Olympic portions of the season—two champions overcoming different obstacles under one roof. They appear to derive strength from dual ambition, whereas other couples may be split apart by competing schedules. This arrangement has greatly lessened the emotional stress that so many top athletes experience when juggling the demands of their personal lives and their performances.
This development marks a welcome change in the context of relationships in sports. For many years, athletes were expected to keep their personal and professional lives separate out of fear of conflict or distraction. However, recent instances—such as those involving Ferrand-Prévot and van Baarle—show that collaborations based on understanding can be incredibly successful. Like Alex Morgan and Servando Carrasco in football or Laura and Jason Kenny in track cycling, they’re not just making it work; they’re establishing a new benchmark.
Their romance also relates to more general patterns in the sports world. More and more people are viewing emotional vulnerability as a strength rather than a weakness. Pauline’s story is a prime illustration of how personal reinforcement can lead to professional dominance, and athletes are starting to talk more candidly about the need for a solid support system outside of their sport.
Pauline is at a unique point in her career, having already mastered the disciplines of road, mountain, cyclo-cross, and gravel. She might be regarded as one of the best cyclists of her generation when she retires tomorrow. Rather, she is advancing—riding more powerfully, thinking more clearly, and leading a more transparent life. It’s difficult not to attribute at least some of that momentum to her relationship with Dylan, who appears to have provided her with the time and space to rethink what balance actually means.
Her public persona now reflects this emotional balance. Previously perceived mainly as an intensely motivated athlete, she is now perceived as something more approachable—a person traversing the same emotional landscape as many others, albeit in the intense spotlight of professional sports. This change in perspective has a significant cultural impact because it gives younger athletes—especially women—the impression that they don’t have to choose between their happiness and their best performance.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Dylan van Baarle have produced more than just a romantic subplot in sports by utilizing their shared values, encouraging one another on their paths, and embracing personal development via friendship. As a reminder that the most successful collaborations are frequently the most aligned rather than the loudest, they have created something remarkably resilient and subtly transformative.
