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Between anorexia and the podiumDebate about weight in women's cycling

Kristian Bauer

 · 11.08.2025

Between anorexia and the podium: debate about weight in women's cyclingPhoto: A.S.O./Thomas Maheux
Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2025 Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ)
The topic of weight in women's cycling is currently being discussed critically. Demi Vollering (Team FDJ-Suez) has sparked a debate after the Tour de France Femmes. She warns of health risks and rejects simple weight loss ideas. Other female cyclists have also spoken out and warned against eating disorders.
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Demi Vollering on Instagram about weight in women's cycling

"Now that I've had a few days to put things into perspective, here's my personal opinion on the subject of weight. After the tour, around 80% of the questions I was asked at the final press conference centred on my weight. Whether I was planning to lose more weight. Whether that was the way to win the Tour de France again. Whether that was the key to performance in the future. I understand - this is sport. People are enthusiastic and have an opinion. But let me make one thing clear: Every decision I make in my career, I put my health first, and I will continue to do so in the future. Always. The truth is: I'm not cut out to be the lightest rider in the peloton. And I don't want to force my body into something it's not. I'm already riding at the highest level - with a strong, lean and powerful body. We've done everything we can to arrive at the Tour in the best possible shape - for me. Every rider does it in their own way. This article is not about comparisons.

There is no single path to success. I am very grateful for the body and the length I have - it has given me so many great victories. I don't take it for granted. So why talk about it now? Because young girls are watching us. They pay attention to what we say - and what we don't say. What we show. What is celebrated as "the way" to success. Sometimes what they see silently plants a seed. Maybe they don't talk about it. Or they don't even realise it's turning into something harmful. That's why we - as elite athletes, teams and sports - have a responsibility. We need to create a safe environment where athletes can ask questions, talk openly about it and get the right counselling - especially young and developing riders. Because the risk is real. Because health is not always visible. Because mental disorders grow silently and can remain hidden for a long time. Every person's body is different. Every athlete needs a different approach. The important thing is that you make the right choices for your health and get the right support. Losing weight is not the ultimate solution. For me, performance is about much more than that. It's about strength. Balance. Eating well. Feeling mentally strong. And recovering faster than everyone else. If that's not the case, no number on the scale will make you faster - or happier." Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNEHAqjMJDc/

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Weight in women's cycling: demand to the UCI

Demi Vollering is not the first and only female cyclist to become a Topic weight in women's cycling. The exceptional Swiss cyclist Marlen Reusser (Team Moivistar) had already sparked a debate in 2022 about the health risks of being too light. In a letter to the UCI at the time, she called for a minimum weight and medical checks for those who fall below the limits. She warned that anorexia and a lack of energy could be observed in the peloton and posed a major threat to health. In recent days, several professional female cyclists have commented on the debate surrounding weight in women's cycling on Instagram:

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Clara Koppenburg on the topic of health problems and weight

"I won the most important battle - but sometimes it still feels like a defeat. There's been a lot of talk about eating habits and mental health in women's cycling recently - sparked by brave voices like Demi and Pauline. I'm grateful that these conversations are happening. But this isn't new. It's a shadow that's been hanging over our sport for years. I have experienced it. I pushed my body to the limit. And I flew up mountains. But I wasn't healthy. I wasn't happy. I wasn't myself. Deciding to recover was the hardest - and bravest - step I've ever taken. And I would do it again.

But what no one tells you is that doing the right thing can feel like a punishment. "You look healthy!" But were these kind words turned into contracts or support? No. I've been told things like, "You're on the right track, it takes time - but we don't have time." I haven't won any races recently - but I've won myself back.

After 6 years, my period came back. I reconnected with my body and my worth. And yet I still feel like I'm being penalised for healing. Recovery is not linear. It is messy. The weight fluctuates. Hormones change. Your power to weight ratio drops. It can feel like you're travelling backwards. You question everything - even when you finally do the right thing. In a race, the pressure is twice as high: to perform - and to trust the process. What we need is not just awareness of RED-S or EDs. We need space to heal. Time. Understanding. Faith. And the real question is: Are we ready - as teams, fans and industry - to give athletes that time? I don't have any big successes at the moment. But I have myself - and that's my biggest victory. I'm getting stronger every week. And with the right support, I will come back - really come back. Because recovery is not weakness. It is strength. And it's time we recognised it as such."

Clara Koppenburg on Instagram: "“I’ve won the most important battle – but sometimes it still feels like a defeat.” Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about eating habits and mental health in women’s cycling – sparked by brave voices like Demi & Pauline. I’m grateful these conversations are happening. But this isn’t new. It’s a shadow that’s hung over our sport for years. I’ve lived it. I pushed my body to the limit. And I was flying up the mountains. But I wasn’t healthy. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t me. Choosing recovery was the hardest – and bravest – step I’ve ever taken. And I’d do it again.But what no one tells you is:Doing the right thing can feel like a punishment. “You look healthy!”But did those kind words turn into contracts or support?No. I was told things like:“You’re on the right track, it needs time – but we don’t have time.” I didn’t win races lately – but I won myself back.After 6 years, my period returned. I reconnected with my body, my worth.And yet, it still feels like I’m being penalized for healing. Recovery isn’t linear. It’s messy.Weight fluctuates. Hormones shift. Your power-to-weight drops. It can feel like you’re riding backwards.You question everything – even though you’re finally doing what’s right. In races, the pressure is double:To perform – and to trust the process. What we need isn’t just awareness of RED-S or EDs.We need space to heal.Time. Understanding. Belief. And the real question is: Are we ready-as teams, fans and industry - to give athletes that time? Atm I don’t have big results.But I have myself – and that’s my greatest victory.I’m getting stronger every week. And with the right support, I’ll be back – truly back. Because recovery isn’t weakness.It’s strength.And it’s time we recognize it as such."
21K likes, 580 comments - clara_koppenburg on August 8, 2025: "“I’ve won the most important battle – but sometimes it still feels like a defeat.” Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about eating habits and mental health in women’s cycling – sparked by brave voices like Demi & Pauline. I’m grateful these conversations are happening. But this isn’t new. It’s a shadow that’s hung over our sport for years. I’ve lived it. I pushed my body to the limit. And I was flying up the mountains. But I wasn’t healthy. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t me. Choosing recovery was the hardest – and bravest – step I’ve ever taken. And I’d do it again.But what no one tells you is:Doing the right thing can feel like a punishment. “You look healthy!”But did those kind words turn into contracts or support?No. I was told things like:“You’re on the right track, it needs time – but we don’t have time.” I didn’t win races lately – but I won myself back.After 6 years, my period returned. I reconnected with my body, my worth.And yet, it still feels like I’m being penalized for healing. Recovery isn’t linear. It’s messy.Weight fluctuates. Hormones shift. Your power-to-weight drops. It can feel like you’re riding backwards.You question everything – even though you’re finally doing what’s right. In races, the pressure is double:To perform – and to trust the process. What we need isn’t just awareness of RED-S or EDs.We need space to heal.Time. Understanding. Belief. And the real question is: Are we ready-as teams, fans and industry - to give athletes that time? Atm I don’t have big results.But I have myself – and that’s my greatest victory.I’m getting stronger every week. And with the right support, I’ll be back – truly back. Because recovery isn’t weakness.It’s strength.And it’s time we recognize it as such.".
www.instagram.com

Kimberly Cadzow on the topic of weight in women's cycling

"I think it's a great time for women's cycling right now. It's also time to make a positive difference. I really believe that the more of us who have an opinion on this topic, the better. My opinion comes from my own experience in the sport. I've been through it all. I truly believe that our sport is riddled with eating disorders. Athletes get advice from all areas of sports, but would you let your accountant give you surgical advice...probably not. So go to a registered dietitian. From the beginning of my cycling career, I was praised for my power-to-weight ratio. Always: "Wow, if you were 1-2 kilos lighter, you'd be WorldTour level." Then the spiral continues: "If you were 1-2 kilos lighter, you'd be on the WorldTour podium." As athletes, we trust the people around us, so it was easy for me. We sacrifice so much for our work that the weight seems like a simple gain in performance. These ideas are drummed into us - not just by the professionals around us, but by the culture itself. I've stayed away from group rides because all people talked about was how many pounds they were heavier or lighter and what they could or couldn't eat. It's a toxic community.

At some point, most of us who take it too far hit rock bottom - then it's hard to get out of bed, your hair falls out, your bones break and you have the bodily functions of an 80-year-old grandma, even though you're only in your early 20s. You start to think: Am I really going to make it this far in life? By the time you start to change, you've already dug the hole so deep that you don't know if you'll ever make it out again. It's also not easy to get help because people are putting band-aids on the real problem - like prescribing hormone replacement therapy or contraceptive pills - when the real problem is that we've been living too long at too low a weight, without periods and without normal bodily functions. Somewhere, an organisation has to take action and tackle these problems. Ultimately, we are all replaceable - and the next power-to-weight prodigy will come along and replace us for two years... Until you fall off the cliff in this never-ending cycle. I'll do it for your daughter, who looks up to us. I hope for change."

Kimberly Cadzow🌟 on Instagram: "I think it’s an amazing time in women’s cycling right now. It’s also time to make a positive difference. I truely believe the more of us who have an opinion on this topic about health the better. My opinion comes from my own experience in this sport. I’ve been through it all. I truly believe that our sport is riddled with eating disorders. Advice is given to athletes from all areas of the sport, but would you let your accountant give you surgery advice… probably not. So go to a registered dietitian. From the beginning of my cycling career, I was praised for my power-to-weight ratio. Always: “Wow, if you were 1–2 kilos lighter, you’d be WorldTour level.” Then the spiral continues: “If you were another 1–2 kilos lighter, you’d be on the WorldTour podium.” We, as sportspeople, trust those around us, so for me, it was easy… We sacrifice so much for what we do that weight seems like an easy performance gain. These ideas are pushed into us—not just by the professionals around us, but by the culture itself. I stopped group riding because all people would talk about was how many kilos heavier or lighter they were, and what they could or couldn’t eat. It’s a toxic community. Then at some point, most of us who push it too far hit the lowest of the low—where getting out of bed is hard, our hair falls out, our bones break, and we have the body function of an 80-year-old granny when we’re only in our 20s. You start to think: Am I actually going to make it that far in my life? By the time you start to change, you’ve dug the hole so deep, you don’t know if you’ll ever make it out. Getting help also isn’t easy, where people put bandaids on the underlying issue—like prescribing HRT or contraceptive pills—when the real issue is that we are functioning at too low a weight, for too long, with no periods or normal body function. Somewhere, an organisation has to take action and rule against these issues. In the end, we are all replaceable—and the next power-to-weight prodigy comes along and replaces you for two years… until they fall off the cliff, in this never-ending cycle. I’ll do it for your daughter who looks up to us. I hope for change."
1,569 likes, 71 comments - kimberly_cadzow on August 8, 2025: "I think it’s an amazing time in women’s cycling right now. It’s also time to make a positive difference. I truely believe the more of us who have an opinion on this topic about health the better. My opinion comes from my own experience in this sport. I’ve been through it all. I truly believe that our sport is riddled with eating disorders. Advice is given to athletes from all areas of the sport, but would you let your accountant give you surgery advice… probably not. So go to a registered dietitian. From the beginning of my cycling career, I was praised for my power-to-weight ratio. Always: “Wow, if you were 1–2 kilos lighter, you’d be WorldTour level.” Then the spiral continues: “If you were another 1–2 kilos lighter, you’d be on the WorldTour podium.” We, as sportspeople, trust those around us, so for me, it was easy… We sacrifice so much for what we do that weight seems like an easy performance gain. These ideas are pushed into us—not just by the professionals around us, but by the culture itself. I stopped group riding because all people would talk about was how many kilos heavier or lighter they were, and what they could or couldn’t eat. It’s a toxic community. Then at some point, most of us who push it too far hit the lowest of the low—where getting out of bed is hard, our hair falls out, our bones break, and we have the body function of an 80-year-old granny when we’re only in our 20s. You start to think: Am I actually going to make it that far in my life? By the time you start to change, you’ve dug the hole so deep, you don’t know if you’ll ever make it out. Getting help also isn’t easy, where people put bandaids on the underlying issue—like prescribing HRT or contraceptive pills—when the real issue is that we are functioning at too low a weight, for too long, with no periods or normal body function. Somewhere, an organisation has to take action and rule against these issues. In the end, we are all replaceable—and the next power-to-weight prodigy comes along and replaces you for two years… until they fall off the cliff, in this never-ending cycle. I’ll do it for your daughter who looks up to us. I hope for change.".
www.instagram.com

Studies on the topic of malnutrition in sport

The debate about weight in women's cycling is being conducted openly by female athletes. But there has also been a debate in men's cycling for years about weight and the health risks of a lack of energy. Numerous scientific studies have focussed on the health consequences:
Clinical evaluation of education relating to nutrition and skeletal loading in competitive male road cyclists at risk of relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S): 6-month randomised controlled trial
https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/5/1/e000523

Bone mineral density and RED-S among young cyclists - a cross sectional study
https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/5/1/e000523

Relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S): elucidation of endocrine changes affecting the health of males and females
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42000-020-00214-w

Impact of a 4-Week Intensified Endurance Training Intervention on Markers of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Performance Among Well-Trained Male Cyclists
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.512365/full

Guide from the Federal Institute for Sports Science: Eating disorders in competitive sport
https://www.bisp.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/Publikationen/Athletenbrosch%C3%BCren/Ess_Stoerungen.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1

Kristian Bauer

Kristian Bauer was born in Munich and loves endurance sports - especially in the mountains. He is a fan of the Tour de France and favours solid racing bike technology. He conducts interviews for TOUR, reports on amateur cycling events and writes articles about the cycling industry and trends in road cycling.

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