Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) said a small injury, believed to be in her hip, has plagued her cyclocross campaign for weeks, dealing a blow.

The French star and former cyclocross world and national champion finished a modest 27th in the latest round of the Cyclocross World Cup in Gavere on Monday, with winner Shirin van Anrooij (Baloise Trek Lions) (Baloise Trek Lions). Prior to that, he finished 7th in the World Cup in Dublin, which together with his 7th place at the European Championships in early November were his best results of the season.

Ferrand-Prevot told French-speaking media after Gavert that her participation in the next cyclocross world championships would be "discussed" with her team, Ineos Grenadier.

The 30-year-old made her return to cyclocross after a two-year blank, but suffered multiple mechanical problems in her first race back at the Koppenberg Cross in early November.

She was adamant at the time that the World Cyclocross Championships were her top priority goal, saying at the European Championships, "It [the World Championships] is totally my goal. That's why I am here. I wanted to judge myself and see what I had to do to get better. I came here to observe what I need to do to get better." But Ferrand-Prevot looked more downbeat after Monday's grueling race, saying, "We've made a lot of changes to the car. We made a lot of changes to the car. In fact, we changed everything."

She said of her recent race, "After a few meters, I get a pain in my lower back and can't push."

As for the cyclocross world championships, Ferrand-Prevotte said nothing has been decided and she plans to discuss it with her team. However, he said, "As for my heart rate, it's not a problem. It just wasn't my day". Last fall, the combined discipline world champion signed a two-year contract with Ineos Grenadiers with the goal of making the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 30-year-old, the first woman to sign with the British team, is part of the team's growing off-road contingent in cyclocross, gravel, and mountain bike racing.