Just moments after crossing the finish line and sealing her name in history, Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt received something perhaps even more unforgettable than her victory: a message from a legend.

Having just become the first Frenchwoman to win the Tour de France Femmes since 1985, Ferrand-Prévôt was already at the center of national celebration. But it was a 21-word message from none other than Bernard Hinault – the five-time Tour de France champion and icon of French cycling – that truly overwhelmed her.

“It wasn’t just a message,” one team staff member revealed. “It was recognition from the greatest rider in French history. Pauline was in tears.”

Hinault, famously known as “The Badger,” last stood on the top step of the Tour podium in 1985 – the same year a Frenchwoman last won the race. His words, though brief, carried the weight of legacy, admiration, and symbolic passing of the torch.

For Ferrand-Prévôt, who grew up idolizing Hinault, the moment was deeply personal. She has long been a dominant force in mountain biking and cyclo-cross, but this road victory, on the biggest stage of all, meant something more. It connected generations, bridged decades, and rekindled national pride.

“It’s hard to describe,” she later said, visibly emotional. “To hear from him… it means everything.”

France watched not only a champion crowned, but a dream realized – and validated – by the very icon who defined an era. As past and present met on that summer afternoon, the nation found itself united in a moment of pure, shared pride.

A victory written in sweat, celebrated in history – and remembered in 21 words.