TO Only 31 years old, Veronica Ewers has decided to say enough to professional cycling. A very hard choice, matured after years in which the obsession with perfection and performance slowly battered his body: «Once due to the effort my kidneys stopped working properly but I continued. I have abused my body for too long: I haven’t had a period for 11 years, my bones are weak, I risked dying».
A raw confession that the athlete from the EF-Oatly-Cannondale team shared on social mediaexplaining that he wanted to denounce the terrible consequences of professionalism lived in the wrong way. «My body needs a total reset… but I stop,” he wrote.
Veronica Ewers: zero hormones and no menstruation for 11 years
Fragile bones, failing kidneys, absent menstruation, almost non-existent hormone levels: the hallucinating journey of his body it started in 2012 and has accompanied her throughout her pro career, since 2021. «I pushed myself to the limit by abusing my body for too long… the blood tests showed that my hormone levels are still practically zero», she says. And with each attempt to return, the physicist responded worse: «Trying to stay in shape while recovering was like banging my head against a brick wall».
Veronica Ewers at the women’s Giro d’Italia 2025 (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Because the menstrual cycle can disappear in those who play high-level sports
Veronica Ewers’ story shows how profoundly training and competitive pressure can alter female physiology. The disappearance of the menstrual cycle (amenorrhea)which the cyclist has been experiencing for over eleven years, is one of the most obvious signs of a body in pain. In very stressed or overexerted athletes, the body “turns off” non-vital functions to save energy.
When calorie intake is insufficient compared to consumption, the brain reduces the production of hormones that regulate ovulation. Over time this can lead to hormones almost at zerofragile bones (risk of early osteoporosis), recovery difficulties and metabolic dysfunctions. A painting known as triad of the female athlete.
The obsession after the collarbone injury
Veronica Ewers also talks about the period after breaking her collarbone in 2023: «Once I was able to get on the exercise bike, I did everything I could. I had to burn as many calories as possible. The obsession ate me». A vicious circle culminated in a collapse: “I lost so much sweat and electrolytes that I could have easily died if they hadn’t helped me.”
Veronica Ewers’ retirement from cycling to save her health
After months of analysis and consultations, the cyclist reaches the decisive crossroads: continue racing or truly recover. «I have made the decision not to continue training/racing in 2026… My body needs a complete reset. I’m tired of being mediocre.” And in his most intimate version, on Substack, he adds: «I don’t know who I will be in my “non-athlete” version. But I’m sure I won’t let that demon consume me again».
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