Vollering speaks out on weight and wellbeing: 'Young girls are watching us'

In an Instagram post, the FDJ-Suez leader revealed that, during her final press conference, “around 80% of the questions I received were about my weight. Whether I planned to lose more. Whether that would be the way to win the Tour de France again. Whether that was the key to performance in the future.”

A few days later, her point is clear: “I make, and will continue to make, every decision in my career by putting my health first. Always.”

Vollering made it clear that she is not built to be the lightest rider in the peloton, nor does she intend to force her body into becoming something it’s not. “I’m already racing at the highest level - with a strong, lean, capable body,” she wrote. “We did everything we could to arrive at the Tour in the best possible shape - for me.”

What stood out most in her message was not just the personal conviction but the sense of responsibility she expressed toward the next generation. “Young girls are watching us,” she continued. “They notice what we say - and what we don’t. What we show. What gets celebrated as ‘the way’ to succeed. Sometimes, what they see quietly plants a seed. They might not talk about it. Or even realise it’s becoming something harmful.”

That’s why, according to Vollering, the sport as a whole must do better. “We must create safe environments where athletes can ask questions, speak openly, and get the right guidance - especially young and developing riders. Because the risk is real. Because health isn’t always visible. Because disordered thinking can grow quietly and stay hidden for a long time.”

Her core message is that there’s no universal formula for performance. “Everyone’s body is different. Every athlete needs a different approach. What matters is making the right decisions for your health, with the right support.”

She firmly rejects the idea that weight loss is a guaranteed path to success. “Losing weight is not the ultimate solution. For me, performance is about far more than that. It’s about strength. Balance. Fuelling well. Feeling mentally strong. And recovering faster than everyone else. Without that, no number on the scale will make you faster - or happier.”

The message echoed what she had told reporters just days earlier, after finishing second behind Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) at the Tour de France Femmes. “I’m proud of my weight and want to set a good example,” she said. “I hope that in the future I can win again with my weight and show girls that you don’t have to be super, super skinny, and that you can just believe that if you have the power, and that you train hard, that you can make it.”

Ferrand-Prévot, crowned overall winner in Châtel, also addressed the topic of weight and health in professional cycling. “When I like to have one goal, I like to have a race weight for this event,” she said. “I know that I can't be super skinny all season long, and I don't find it very healthy, so I prefer that when I have a goal to lose weight slowly, to be at the good weight for the good moment.”

She added: “I don’t want to stay like this because I know it’s not 100% healthy, but we also had a good plan with the nutritionist of the team, and everything is in control. I didn’t do extreme, and I still had power left after nine days of racing.”

By speaking out, Vollering may have added something more enduring than a Tour title: she is helping to open up a debate - not just about how to win, but how to lead.