While she is playing her first round of France, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot got closer to Julian Alaphilippe to prepare him.
The time of truth is about to ring for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. This Thursday indeed marks the arrival of the Peloton du Tour de France women in the mountains. It is certainly only a question of the Massif Central, but the runners will have to climb the Col du Béal, an ascent of more than 10 kilometers to 5.6% average, classified in the first category.
Back on road after her Olympic mountain bike in 2024, the native of Reims obviously focused on the mountain to best prepare the Tour de France. Even if it means sacrificing his pumnous qualities somewhat. “For my part, I am less punchy than during the classics, because I have progressed in the long climbs”, had she entrusted before the start of the round, adding: “The climb of the Madeleine (scheduled for Saturday) will last an hour and a half: there, we are no longer talking about differences in seconds, but in minutes. »»
And to refine her climbing talents, PFP put all the odds on his side. “I had a lot of altitude. I also bought a house in Andorra to prepare for the mountains, staying at most at altitude ”, she said.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is not the first sportsman to settle in Andorra. To this end, she walks in the footsteps of Julian Alaphilippe, installed in the Principality for many years with Marion Rousse, a great girlfriend of the former mountain bike.
Andorra and his reduced taxation
“When he leaves to train, he is already at 1,500 meters, with demanding collaborators nearby. It allowed him to progress ”explained Franck Alaphilippe, cousin and coach of the double tricolor world champion. Julian Alaphilippe is not an isolated case since the Australian Ben O’Connor, the Englishman Simon Yates, the Colombian Egan Bernal or more recently Lenny Martinez have also set sail for the micro-state, in the process of shading in Monaco.
Andorra has another big argument to attract the stars of the platforms: a very advantageous taxation, with an income tax capped at 10% and a VAT at only 4.5% and high -level sportsmen benefit from a special status (passive residents of category C) allowing them to have to live on site only 90 days per year at least, against 183 for the Quidams.
