“No, it’s not normal to lose your period.” A high-performing body is one in balance — not one in shutdown.

In the mountains, the hierarchy often speaks for itself. But behind the time gaps, another reality emerges — one of bodies, shaped, judged, sometimes pushed to the limit in the name of performance.

In the bunch, one figure stands out: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Lean, sharp, built for the climb. Defined muscles, high cadence. The image is striking. It can fascinate — or worry. But what we see is not a body “made” overnight. It’s the result of experience, of precision. Of a clear method.

PFP knows what she’s doing. She’s done it before. She sculpted her body like a precision tool for Tokyo — and now again for Paris. Always training at altitude. Always supported. Always following a structure.

But not everyone has that.

And that’s where the danger starts — when the exception becomes the standard. When one example turns into pressure for all the others.

Because in today’s image-driven world, a body like hers becomes symbolic. If she wins, people will cheer — and many will want to copy, without the same knowledge or the right environment. If she loses, the judgment will be even quicker. Because a body like that attracts attention.

Meanwhile, others are searching. Counting. Restricting.

The magic number? Watts per kilo. The equation seems simple: to climb faster, either increase your watts… or lose weight. So some choose. Or rather, get stuck. In calculations. In constant weigh-ins. In restriction. And sometimes, in disordered eating.

In a powerful TEDx talk, O. Mahé shared how she got caught in that spiral — trying to control everything, measure everything… until she lost her health, her drive, her balance.

But there are other paths.

Cédrine Kerbaol — current French time trial champion — is one of them. She’s also certified dietitian-nutritionist. She understands the mechanisms, the signals, the real needs. And above all, she represents a powerful alternative: an athlete performing at the highest level… without falling into the trap of extreme thinness. And she’s speaking up. In L’Équipe, on radio, on French TV — she talks. Without filters. About what’s often hidden: missed periods, eating disorders, pressure around weight, RED-S.

“No, it’s not normal to lose your period.”

It’s not a performance bonus. It’s a serious imbalance.

She launched FEED – Fueling for Endurance, Energy & Durability — a movement to inform, support, and raise awareness. A space for stories, resources, and care. I joined the collective. Because it matters to me. Because it hits close to home. Because we can’t keep quiet anymore.

For a long time, I thought I needed to be lighter. I’m one of the “heavier” riders in the peloton: 65 kilos. I kept my swimmer’s shoulders. My legs got stronger. And when the gradient hits 10%, I don’t have the "featherweight card". I only have two options: push harder… or try to get lighter.

I saw many nutritionists. Tried different birth control pills. Lost a bit. Gained three kilos back. Nothing magic. And nothing lasting. I eat well. I sleep well. My body is healthy. Most importantly, my periods came back. Years of amenorrhea during my triathlon career. Years of thinking it was “normal.” But it wasn’t.

Today, I have strong hamstrings. A solid pelvis. A clearer mind. And even if I still feel “too heavy” sometimes for steep climbs, I feel strong enough to last. Because yes, in the mountains, bodies speak. But you have to know how to listen — not force them. And sometimes, you have to say: enough.

Enough with the thinness myth. Enough with the obsession. Enough with the silence. Because the body doesn’t lie. It absorbs. It adjusts. It warns. And one day, it breaks.

When did we decide that being weak equals being fit? The summit doesn’t reward the skinniest. It rewards the strongest. The ones who make it to the top… and can still make it back down.

So yes, we have to speak up. Say that amenorrhea is not a rite of passage. That eating enough is not cheating. That losing weight doesn’t always mean gaining time.

Maybe the ideal weight… is just the one that lets you stay whole.