Often the announcement that a rider will be missing the Tour de France and is out for the rest of the season is bad news, but not this time. Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-SUEZ) will be missing a home Grand Départ for a very good reason, with the rider sharing the news that she is pregnant on social media this week.
The Swiss rider, and last year's mountains classification winner, hasn't once missed a Tour de France Femmes and had been expected on the start line again in 2026 as a valuable support rider for Demi Vollering.
She was also bound to be a local fan favourite, particularly as stage 2 and 3 centred around her home location of Geneva. Though this year instead of being cheered on from the sidelines, she'll be the one cheering on her teammates.
"These last few weeks have been special… I needed a lot of time to process and accept our life will change forever. Sometimes life can be full of surprises, but I guess this one is a wonderful one," said Chabbey in an Instagram post.
"Now the news is out, I’m not gonna race [Le Tour de France Femmes] and also the rest of the season. A little frog is growing inside me," said the 33-year-old who is signed with FDJ United-SUEZ through 2028 after first joining the squad in 2025.
It has undoubtedly been a big year for Chabbey, professionally as well as personally, with the rider claiming one of the victories of her career at Strade Bianche by whipping past Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) and former teammate Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) on the twisting streets leading to the Piazza del Campo.
Straight after that, she collected fourth from a five-rider breakaway at In Flanders Fields, while her most recent race was Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes in April where she finished seventh as teammate Vollering claimed the win.
The medical graduate who has represented Switzerland both in the kayak in the London Olympics and on the bike in Paris, also won the Tour de Romandie last year and will be missed as a member of the FDJ squad for the French Grand Tour. And while she won't be on the road with them this time, that doesn't mean she will not be there in spirit.
"I’m gonna cheer so hard for you girls. Bring back home the yellow jersey," said Chabbey.
Chabbey and partner Antoine Robin are expecting their new arrival in January 2027.
