Women's cycling union calls for change as rider health debate intensifies
The Cyclists’ Alliance, the representative body for female professional cyclists, has issued a statement on rider health, calling for changes in how the sport addresses performance and wellbeing. The statement follows high-profile discussions during and after the Tour de France Femmes, where the physical appearance and weight of leading riders became a major talking point.
In the days after the race, runner-up Demi Vollering said that about 80% of the questions she received in her final press conference were about her weight. “I make, and will continue to make, every decision in my career by putting my health first. Always,” she said. Vollering warned that such scrutiny could be harmful, particularly for younger riders, and emphasised that performance depends on multiple factors, including strength, balance, adequate fuelling, and recovery.
Overall winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot also addressed the subject, explaining that her approach to reaching her target race weight for the Tour was carefully and responsibly planned in collaboration with her team’s performance staff. She emphasised that this was part of preparing for a specific goal and that staying at that weight all season would not be healthy. While the debate around her physical preparation became a loud topic in the days after the race, she made clear she did not see it as a personal attack: “I don’t take it personally. It’s good to speak about it, and I don’t take it as something against me.”
Against this backdrop, The Cyclists’ Alliance is calling for structural change within cycling. “Rider health and elite performance must go hand in hand,” the organisation stated. “The sport today has more than enough scientific knowledge, insight and human experience to create sustainable, ethical performances which do not compromise rider health.”
The Alliance highlighted the disproportionate scrutiny women face compared to men and urged all voices in cycling to shift the dialogue around weight and women’s bodies. As part of its proposals, The Cyclists’ Alliance has called on the UCI to adopt its November 2024 recommendation for mandatory screening for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDS) and bone mineral density as part of the annual medical checks already carried out for professional riders, covering both women and men.
What is REDS?
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport occurs when an athlete’s energy intake through food does not match the energy they burn during training and competition. This ongoing energy shortfall can disrupt key body functions and harm performance. Possible effects include weakened bones, menstrual irregularities, impaired immunity, slower recovery, and reduced endurance.
REDS can be difficult to detect, as symptoms vary and athletes may not realise they are at risk. The condition can be unintentionally reinforced by sporting cultures that focus on low body weight or lean appearance for short-term performance gains. Because no single test can confirm REDS, effective screening uses a combination of medical questionnaires, physical measurements, and specialist assessment to build a full picture of an athlete’s health.
This builds on initiatives the Alliance has already undertaken, including the creation of a working group in April 2025 that brought together riders and experts to address nutrition, low energy availability and REDS in cycling. In autumn 2025, TCA will launch an education and awareness campaign for rider health and wellbeing, offering dedicated support and resources on these topics. For the first time, separate sessions will also be available for team staff and other interested parties.
For president Grace Brown, the issue is central to the organisation’s mission: “The current system is not set up to protect female health, so I believe it’s our duty to continue educating and advocating for better standards that allow women to perform with well-fuelled, strong, and happy bodies.”
The statement underlines how questions of health and performance are becoming more closely linked in the conversation about the future of professional cycling.
