Pauline Ferrand-Prevot has revealed that the upcoming World Championships will be the last mountain bike race of her illustrious career.

The Frenchwoman has enjoyed great success in mountain biking, winning five world titles and most recently an Olympic gold medal.

In an emotional social media post, Ferrand-Prevot revealed that after next weekend's World Championships, she will not compete in the remaining races of the World Cup series.

“In less than a week I will be competing in my last MTB World Championships, but also my last MTB race. It may sound a little strange to write that [to be honest], but I have a new goal and a new challenge on the road, so I am happy and at peace with my decision,” Ferran-Prevot wrote.

“I have met incredible people and seen amazing places over the past few years. Without a doubt, this sport will continue to be number one in my heart."

The 2024 MTB World Championships will be held in Pal Arinsal, Andorra, the country where she won her first elite XCO world title in 2015. It was the flip side of her world titles in road and cyclocross, an extraordinary run of rainbow success reinforced by her first gravel world championship in 2022.

With five XCO world titles, plus short track and marathon titles, and an Olympic XCO title, Ferrand-Prevot feels he has accomplished all he can in mountain biking.

“In 2015 I won gold here in Andorra and my first Mtb elite world title. I would be very proud to close this chapter of my life the same way. So let's have a good last dance,” he wrote.

“Merci to the entire MTB community for what you have brought to this sport. See you next week.”

Ferran-Prevot, who won the road racing world title at age 22, has not had a proper string of road races since 2018, when she was with Canyon-SRAM, and her main period of success was with the team (then Rabobank), which she will rejoin in 2025, in 2014 and Her breakthrough period came in 2015. She has publicly stated that she is aiming for the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femme.