Tour de Change? Women Cyclists Speak Out About Pressures in Sport

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Tour de Change? Women Cyclists Speak Out About Pressures in Sport

What's going on: Over nine days, 154 women cyclists hit the road for the Tour de France Femmes — a 726-mile race complete with hills and mountains (nope, this isn’t like your Peloton ride). But as they chased the yellow jersey, the sport faces a reckoning over how it impacts riders’ health. French cyclist Cédrine Kerbaol put it this way: cycling is in a “dangerous moment” as riders face pressure to underfuel and lose weight for races, potentially leading to menstrual disorders, osteoporosis, and fatigue. This year’s winner, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, spoke out after critics said she lost too much weight in order to compete. While she defended her training, she added: “I don’t want to stay like this — I know it’s not 100% healthy.”

Our take: Some cyclists hope to change the narrative surrounding weight and performance. Demi Vollering, who placed second in the Tour de France Femmes, said she wants future cyclists to know “that you can just believe that if you have the power and that you train hard, that you can make it.” Other riders shared similar messages on the IG account @f.e.e.d_powr (Fueling for Endurance, Energy, and Durability) to raise awareness. Kerbaol, who spearheaded the account, says it’s starting “to break the taboo” and could help prevent more women from putting their health at risk.

Related: Speaking of Competition, Did You See What Katie Ledecky Accomplished? (NBC)

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Caroline Hendershot

Reporter for the New York Jets and co-host of Well Played

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