In the last few weeks, we’ve been running a really exciting and important series for our Cyclingnews subscribers, focusing in on women’s health in cycling. As we head towards International Women’s Day, I wanted to tell you a little bit more about the series, and give you the chance to read stories unlocked and for free this weekend – more on that below.
The idea of running a series on women’s health is something that predates my time at Cyclingnews, and is something the team here has been wanting to do for a long time. CN has never shied away from covering women’s issues in the sport, and we’ve covered various topics relating to rider health, RED-S and disordered eating in the past, but it’s long felt like there was space to go deeper.
So over the last few months, I’ve been working on getting some of the fantastic ideas my colleagues have had to go from concept to execution, and allowing us to really spend time on this topic.
With so little research into some of the topics we’ve covered, pulling these articles together has sometimes been time- and labour-intensive, tracking down experts and unearthing information which has gone seriously underreported in cycling media before, including by us.
It’s really thanks to our subscriber base that we’re able to commit that time and effort to stories like these, so thank you if you’re a subscriber, and welcome along if this series prompted you to become one.
Why is women’s health in cycling important, though? Of course, as a cycling website, all our stories are told through the lens of cycling, but in truth, women’s health in general is highly underrecognised, not just in the world of cycling or sport. Women face long struggles for diagnosis, barriers to access for treatment, and debilitating issues are written off as unimportant or not of serious medical concern.
Many issues are treated as unisex, but we know now that when it comes to biology, very, very little is – be it nutrition, mental health, hormones, or anything else. Female athletes face their own specific set of challenges and circumstances, and it’s in the interests of everyone to know more about that.
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I think there was also a personal element for me, my colleagues and our freelancers. These are all topics and issues that we have faced in some way or another, and come up against the lack of understanding or information available.
The above may sound like oversharing, but the truth is that’s only because we don’t talk about these things enough. I’ve heard male riders talk about their stomach issues or saddle sores casually and openly in interviews and articles, so why shouldn’t we talk about women’s health in the same way?
That’s the essence of what we wanted to do with this series. To open the conversation, and to treat women’s health as a central part of the performance conversation, not just a side-story to the male-focused norm.
So far, we’ve covered a wide range of topics. Freelance contributor Emma Cole dove into how female athletes can harness health tech, whether that’s by tracking your period or recording your heart-rate and other vital stats.
Managing Editor Laura Weislo spent a day with Human Powered Health to understand how cycling is facing up to the issue of low bone density, which can be caused by hormone deficiencies in women, but is a big problem for male cyclists, too.
As I’ve already mentioned, my own contribution delved into menstrual disorders, how they affect pro riders, and whether teams know enough to support their riders who may suffer with something like PCOS or endometriosis. I spoke to two female athlete health experts, plus Ane Santesteban, a former pro who has endometriosis.
And most recently, our Editor Kirsten Frattini wrote a fascinating piece about the importance of targeted nutrition and hydration for female athletes, where Dr Heather Logan Sprenger explains women’s different nutritional needs, whether that’s iron intake or menstrual cycle-synced fueling.
Whether you’re a female rider, a cycling fan, or anyone else, there will be something interesting for you in these articles. Whether you’re a woman who might find something educational or informative about your own health, or a man looking to understand more about what your female riding companions experience, or just a person with an interest in health and cycling performance, any of these stories are absolutely worth your time.
So, what’s next? We still have women’s health stories in the works, including a deeper dive into RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport) and plans to follow up on Immy Sykes’ informative women’s saddles feature, plus a great long list of ideas about pregnancy, menopause, mental health and more.
But primarily, we’d like to know what you’d like to see. Which parts of the series so far have chimed with you? What topics would you like us to delve into next? Please do share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comments, whether they’re about women’s health or a wider topic.
Cyclingnews’ women’s health series
For today, we have specially unlocked some of our women’s health series, so those that haven’t had a chance to read them yet can dive in and get a feel for the series. If you enjoy what you read, please consider taking out a paid subscription – you’ll be able to read the full series, plus our Labs testing content, in-depth features, pro columns and more.
(Image credit: Dario Belingheri & Chris Putnam/Getty Images)
In an in-depth interview with Cyclingnews, Dr Heather Logan Sprenger, a researcher and scientific advisor specializing in physiology, nutrition and exercise science, highlights the key nutritional factors female cyclists should consider when training and racing at the highest level to optimise adaptation, performance and health.
(Image credit: Getty Images/Illustration by Michael Rawley)
Featuring insight from The Well HQ’s Jo Perkins, doctoral researcher and AG Insurance-Soudal female health expert Meg Smith, and former pro Ane Santesteban, we lift the lid on the effect menstrual conditions can have on pro cyclists.
(Image credit: Getty/Shutterstock)
As health-tracking technology becomes ever-present in cycling, how are female cyclists using it to monitor their health, and is all this data actually beneficial to fine-tuning our training? We hear from pro rider Neah Evans about how she uses tracking and data.
A rider undergoes a DEXA scan at the Human Powered Health lab (Image credit: Human Powered Health)
Although bone density can be a serious concern for men, it is even more so for women who face a normal drop in bone density during menopause when estrogen levels drop. Osteoporosis can predispose sufferers to fractures, especially of the wrist, hip and spine, which can be debilitating and not what active adults who want to keep exercising for their health want. We found out how teams like Human Powered Health are working to combat this problem.
More about women’s health
To mark International Women’s Day 2026, Cyclingnews is proud to be shining a light on the many women with inspiring stories from across the sport. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for our unrivalled women’s cycling coverage, and much more. Find out more.
