Frenchwoman Ferrand-Prévôt wins Paris-Roubaix women's race for the first time

ROUBAIX, France (AP) — Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt overcame sickness and a crash to win the Paris-Roubaix women's race for the first time on Saturday with a well-timed solo breakaway.

The 33-year-old from France added the prestigious and grueling Roubaix classic to her Olympic mountain bike gold medal at the Paris Games last year and the 2014 world road race title.

“I’m super happy but I don’t realise it yet,” she said. “It could be my best win ever.”

A smiling Ferrand-Prévôt raised both arms in the air as she crossed the finish line at the Roubaix velodrome.

She surprised herself with the victory, given the circumstances.

“I was sick the last couple of days, so I was not sure this morning if I was going to participate. It's good that finally I took the start," Ferrand-Prévôt said. "Winning here is just amazing. My boyfriend (Dylan van Baarle) won three years ago, so now I won. We will have two (trophies) at home."

The 148.5-kilometer (92-mile) race featured 29.2 km (18 miles) of cobbles and Ferrand-Prévôt was one of several riders to fall entering one of those stretches, with 54 kilometers to go.

But she was unharmed and quickly rejoined the peloton.

Although she was tactically supposed to be riding for Visma-Lease a Bike with teammate Marianne Vos, Ferrand-Prévôt sensed an opportunity and launched her attack with about 18 kilometers left.

“I had a gap and I tried to go until the end,” Ferrand-Prévôt said.

None of her rivals could catch her and she entered the velodrome on her own with the crowd cheering.

Ferrand-Prévôt finished 58 seconds clear of Italian Letizia Borghesi and 1:01 ahead of Dutchwoman Lorena Wiebes in third. Vos was fourth and Alison Jackson of Canada fifth.

Ferrand-Prévôt became the first rider from France to win the women's race, which was first held in 2021.

“The first, but maybe the last one,” she said, smiling. “I just tried to survive in the cobblestone section.”

Defending champion Lotte Kopecky of Belgium __ the road race world champion __ was 2:04 behind in 12th spot.

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Pauline Ferrand Prevot, of France, crosses the finish line to win the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix, France, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Pauline Ferrand Prevot, of France, crosses the finish line to win the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix, France, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Pauline Ferrand Prevot, of France, lifts the cobblestone trophy after winning the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix, France, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Pauline Ferrand Prevot, of France, lifts the cobblestone trophy after winning the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix, France, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

CHICAGO (AP) — Germany's 18-year-old midfielder Lennart Karl has been ruled out of the World Cup after injuring his thigh in training on Friday ahead of Germany's final pre-World Cup tuneup against the United States.

Karl was considered one of the top young players in any World Cup squad after a breakout season with Bayern Munich, for which he became the club's youngest ever goal-scorer in the Champions League.

Karl was sent to the hospital for scans and Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said it “didn't look so good.”

Hours later, and barely a week before Germany's first game of the tournament, Karl was replaced in the squad by midfielder Assan Ouédraogo under World Cup rules allowing extra players in cases of serious injury.

“I have no idea where to start but it's just indescribably painful being forced to miss the biggest tournament of all,” Karl wrote on Instagram.

“I've done everything to be fit for the World Cup. Unfortunately injuries often come at the unluckiest time.”

German soccer association president Bernd Neuendorf said there were tears at a team meeting as an Nagelsmann broke the news to the squad, German agency dpa reported. Germany plays the U.S. in Chicago on Saturday and then starts its tournament against Curacao on June 14.

Karl made his debut for Germany in March to continue a rapid rise to prominence and has played three games for the national team, including a key role as a starter in last week's 4-0 win over Finland.

Leipzig's 20-year-old midfielder Ouédraogo has played just once for Germany, scoring in a 13-minute appearance off the bench at the end of a 6-0 win over Slovakia in November.

Nagelsmann also said on Friday he would not risk 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer against the U.S. because of continuing concerns over a calf injury he picked up at Bayern last month.

That means Neuer will go into the World Cup having not played for Germany in almost two years. He retired from the national team after the 2024 European Championship but agreed to a recall last month.

Oliver Baumann has been Germany's first choice for much of the time Neuer was away and also started against Finland last week.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Germany's Lennart Karl, left, and David Raum attend a training session in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Thursday May 28, 2026, ahead of the World Cup tournament. (Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP)