"They often keep it to themselves, they have to be tough, not vulnerable" - expert believes eating disorders still haunt the peloton to this day

Nutrition has become a clear area of interest of all the top cycling teams, planning their riders' meals to grams around the main season objectives. However this doesn't always come with only upsides. The (W)eet Wat Je Doet movement focuses on the 'healthy' aspect of nutrition in cycling, which is often still a taboo.

Tadej Pogacar recently spoke up about the ever-present issue of eating disorders, but that feels merely like a drop in the ocean. "Athletes often keep it to themselves, they have to be tough, not vulnerable. But everyone knows insecurities and discomfort. If you can express that, it helps you," sports psychologist Karin de Bruin tells AD.

At the meeting, Tristan Bangma, Paralympic cycling champion, gave an insight into his food problems during his career. "Two slices of bread, no sauce on the pasta, sometimes I only ate lettuce. I was calculating all day long. Ridiculous, I think now. But at the time I was convinced that I was doing the right thing," Bangma reflects.

An injury opened his perspective on food problems. "It was only when I was forced to sit still that I was given the space to break out of that ingrained pattern. That should be completely normal, but I also kept it to myself for a long time. And that's exactly why I couldn't get help for a long time. So tell it. You help yourself and maybe someone else too," the Paralympic champion refers to the mental problems it brings with it.

Cycling commentator Roxanne Knetemann also had her fair share of eating problems in her time as a cyclist, although she does see a change in modern cycling. "Maybe the roads were there in my time too, but you had to find them yourself. Now everything is integrated into the teams. And then I sometimes think: I did myself a disservice, I was so lonely. I could have been a lot happier if I had also gained a bit more insight, support and guidance in that," she emphasises once again the importance of talking about this issue.