‘I wasn’t healthy. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t me’ – Clara Koppenburg reveals her personal battle to recover from eating disorder

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.

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In an Instagram post on Friday, Vollering made it clear that she “will continue to make every decision in my career by putting my health first.”

Koppenburg was inspired by their words to reveal her own personal story. She included a series of images that showed how she had lost weight in previous seasons but said being back to her true self “was my greatest victory.” A final photo showed her smiling.

Vollering and Jackson praised Koppenburg in replies to her post but the message setting appears to have been changed and the messages are no longer visible.

“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.

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“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.”

Now 30, Koppenburg has been a professional for a decade. She raced for the Bigla Pro Cycling Team, WNT-Rotor, Rally Cycling and EF-Oatly-Canondale. She joined Cofidis this year and rode the Tour de FRance Femmes, helping teammate Julie Bego defend the best young rider white jersey for seven days.

Early in her career, Koppenburg was considered a climber but that only pushed her to lose weight. She has now realised she had to change.

“I didn’t win races lately – but I won myself back,” she wrote.

“After 6 years, my period returned. I reconnected with my body, my worth.And yet, it still feels like I’m being penalized for healing.”

Koppenburg’s contract with Cofidis appears to end this year. She highlighted the pressure put on riders to achieve results and

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 wrote.

“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.

“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?”

Whatever her future in the sport, Koppenburg’s biggest result is her returning to be her true self.

“Atm I don’t have big results. But I have myself – and that’s my greatest victory,” she wrote.

“I’m getting stronger every week. And with the right support, I’ll be back – truly back.

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