On Monday, the Cyclists’ Alliance weighed in on the topic of rider weight, calling on the governing body to act while the conversation is at the forefront.
Champions line up in Vannes for the start of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
ASO
Sometimes, it is easy to forget that the core business of cycling is humans. Imperfect humans. Those who make mistakes, have ill health, need sleep, have feelings, and laugh on occasion. Yet, there is a weighty expectation by those around the sport to be a certain way, and that is down to looks and action. There is a demand that the rider completes ‘x’ amount of race days with ‘y’ amount of panache. If there is something off about the delivery, the fan base is quick to jump on it. Heavy is the crown of expectation.
Take Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime), for example. The Belgian cyclist, and world champion, has been copping huge amounts of heat from the media and fans. The vast majority of comments say she has been having a lacklustre year. A lacklustre year?! The world champion, in the rainbow bands, won De Ronde van Vlaanderen earlier this year. She was instrumental in the winning ways of teammate Lorena Wiebes. Sure, there we saw less of Kopecky on the top step of every race she lined up for, but by any other measure, the 29-year-old had an exceptional year.
Similarly, Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) has not escaped critique after her 2nd place at the latest edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. There was difficulty finding an article that didn’t discuss her weight and decision not to approach the race like the victor, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma Lease-a-Bike). It was all the fans and news outlets clung to. Yet, they seemed to gloss over the fact that she rose from a horrific crash in stage 3 to fight for six more days, right to the end.
The sport is cruel.
Now, more than ever, the Cyclist Alliance (TCA) is needed. TCA is an independent advocacy body for female cyclists. They are not funded or an adjunct of the UCI. Instead, they are purely existing for the benefit of the riders. Riders pay a membership fee to join the union, and get access to resources such as legal support, health support, career guidance and the knowledge of the lack of financial support in the peloton. TCA was founded by Iris Slappendel, a former professional cyclist, alongside many contemporaries, including Gracie Elvin. TCA is now led by former professional cyclist, Olympic champion and World champion, Grace Brown. Brown is carrying on Slappendel’s legacy, ensuring they are at the forefront of the latest fight for rider welfare. Currently, the focus is on rider health.
Escape Collective has been vocal in both our written and podcast work on the lack of research in female physiology. Cycling is the most punishing of pursuits, and as mentioned earlier, the standards of the cycling stakeholder are rarely malleable. Performance is expected from the fans, but also from management. The issue is, the level of performance seems to be ever-increasing. The speeds are getting higher, and the career of a professional cyclist is a 24/7 pursuit. One must conform to a monastic lifestyle if one even wants to be competitive. What, then, does this constant chase do to the female body? We know enough to implement certain measures, and TCA is aware of this and calling for action: “The sport today has more than enough scientific knowledge, insight and human experience to create sustainable, ethical performances which do not compromise rider health.”
Wheel Talk Newsletter: Weight of expectations
It’s been over a week since the end of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift but there is still so much to say about the historic event.
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