Clara Koppenburg has been praised by fellow riders Demi Vollering, Alison Jackson and many others for speaking openly about eating habits, mental health and her own personal journey of recovery.
The Cofidis rider also asked if teams, fans and the cycling industry are willing to give athletes the time to heal as well as expecting them to perform in races.
Koppenburg’s deeply personal post on Instagram comes a week after Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) spoke openly about the pressure to lose weight to be successful at the Tour de France Femmes. Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) also spoke out about women’s health during the Tour de France Femmes, helping to launch the Fueling for Endurance, Energy and Durability (F.e.e.d) campaign to fight back against eating disorders, missing periods and energy deficiency.
“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,” Koppenburg wrote.
“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.”
“I didn’t win races lately – but I won myself back,” she wrote.
“After 6 years, my…
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