Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s weight loss before the Tour de France Femmes 2025 has triggered concern within the cycling community. The French rider won the race with dominant form but admitted to losing four kilograms during her preparation. While she worked with a nutritionist and emphasized that the change was temporary, her transformation reignited discussions around body image and health in women’s cycling.
“There are people who are concerned, which is normal. I don’t take it personally,” said Ferrand-Prévot during her post-race press conference. She highlighted that her process was medically supervised and not meant to last long-term.
Despite this, several fellow cyclists have voiced their unease. Cédrine Kerbaol and Demi Vollering, among others, spoke publicly about the potential dangers such actions could pose, especially for younger athletes.
Swiss cyclist Marlen Reusser directly addressed the issue in an interview with Tages-Anzeiger. “We secretly hoped she wouldn’t win. She’s set a new standard. When someone finds success this way, it puts pressure on the rest of us,” said Reusser, a doctor of medicine and three-time European time trial champion.
Reusser, who withdrew from the race’s first stage due to food poisoning, criticized the image projected by Ferrand-Prévot. “When she proudly displays her new jersey and it looks oversized, it sends a strong message,” she added.
On the same day, the Cyclists’ Alliance urged the UCI to introduce mandatory RED-S screening. This condition—Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport—occurs when an athlete consumes too little energy for their training load. The union emphasized that the focus must return to athlete health and long-term well-being.
