Pauline Ferrand-Prevot will target road race and mountain bike success at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot will be targeting double gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics after opting not to compete in the time trial event.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed remarkable success in recent years, including claiming road cycling gold at the 2014 World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain before triumphing in the individual event at the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Tábor, Czech Republic last year.

Her success at the 2015 International Cycling Union (UCI) Mountain Bike World Championships in Vallnord saw Ferrand-Prevot become the first cyclist to hold the three world titles simultaneously.

It prompted suggestions that the French star could target a remarkable hat-trick of golds at Rio 2016 in the road race, time trial and mountain bike disciplines.

Ferrand-Prevot, however, has now opted not to take part in the time trial in order to focus her attentions one the other two events.

“I will do only the road race and the mountain bike in Rio, I think it is enough,” Ferrand-Prevot said.

“The federation also asked me to do the time trial, but I think that it maybe is too much for me and I would prefer to recover between the road race and mountain bike race.

“I think both races really suit me, I saw the course in October and it is a really hard lap on the road.

“There is a long uphill near the end and a long descent, so I think it is a really good course for me.

“Also for the mountain bike, the course is very technical and hard.”

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot will expect to face competition from world champion Lizzie Armitstead of Britain in the women's road race
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot will expect to face competition from world champion Lizzie Armitstead of Britain in the women's road race ©Getty Images

Having opted out of the time trial on August 10, Ferrand-Prevot will have a 13-day gap between the women’s road race and mountain bike events, which are due to take place on August 7 and 20 respectively.

While she will opt to stay in the Athletes' Village for the majority of the Games, Ferrand-Prevot stated she would head outside Rio de Janeiro for a short period of time to prepare for the mountain bike race.

“Because I will do both disciplines, between the road race and mountain bike I will go a bit out of Rio,” said Ferrand-Prévot, who rides professionally for the Rabo–Liv Women Cycling Team.

“I will go out and do like a training camp, where I can train for the mountain bike.

“I did London when I was really young, but now I feel I am more professional and I really want to be the Olympic champion.

“Now I know what it is like, I think it will be much easier the second time around.”