‘Recovery isn’t weakness’ - Clara Koppenburg shares eating disorder journey

German climber Clara Koppenburg (Cofidis) has opened up about her battle with eating disorders in an emotional post on her Instagram account.

The comments come just days after Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ) and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) spoke about their views when asked about weight loss to achieve their goals at the recent Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Koppenburg, who now rides for Cofidis, welcomed those comments in her post.  

“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.”

German rider Koppenburg has been in the women’s professional peloton for 10 years, starting out on the Bigla Pro Cycling Team with spells at WNT-Rotor, Rally Cycling and EF-Oatly-Canondale, returning to Cofidis this year. In her early career, she was known as one of the peloton’s most promising climbers, winning a stage and the general classification of the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in 2019.

“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 penalised for healing. 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,” she writes.

"“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.”

“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.”

RED-S or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport is a condition where the energy intake is insufficient to meet the demands that training makes upon the athlete’s body. This can affect both male and female athletes, though in the latter, it can cause severe hormonal imbalances and subsequent loss of the menstrual cycle. It is widely accepted that women should not lose their menstrual cycle purely because they’re athletes. 

After the Tour de France Femmes overall winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot was asked about her weight and revealed she had lost 4kg in preparation, but said maintaining that weight would have been unhealthy. Second-placed Vollering used her own Instagram to talk about weight, saying she would never compromise her health in pursuit of weight loss.

Meanwhile, after a tough spring and a series of races where she failed to finish, Koppenburg’s season has been on an upward trajectory, finishing 88th overall at the Tour.

"Because recovery isn’t weakness. It’s strength. And it’s time we recognize it as such."