My name is Elin - A pro cycling lover's reflections

Vos struggled with anorexia

Category: Cycling, Training&Food

Marianne VosMarianne Vos has created the book “Op de Troon” [Meaning "On the Throne"], with ghostwriter Rik Booltink. Because she is so young, she has decided not to write a autobiography, but the book is mostly about her experiences in 2012.

It seemed like 2012 was a really good year for her, when she won the Olympic Games, World Championships, Giro Donne and the World Cup.

But she also had some less fun moments, like when she fracture a collarbone in the Holland Hills Classic, and when she was defeated in la Flèche Wallonne by Evie Stevens.

Marianne Vos says that she also struggled with weight, overcoming shyness and doubt last year.

"I’ve had some difficult moments," Vos said. "That story, too, is in the book." When training as much as she does, food is very much necessary and it can be hard to actually eat enough. While training for the Olympic Games, she was suddenly ill with anorexia. For a moment, she weighed only 50 kilo. Around six kilo less than she probably should. She ate around three times per day, but it was not enough when she trained so hard.

"I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. I wanted so badly to be the Olympic champion that the training, preparation and discipline became almost obsessive."

"You want to appear strong like you're on top of the world but that is not always the case," she said. "It's also kind of nice to be able to tell that story."

It seems like she has overcome the disorder now, but it is easy to fall back into old habits. Let's hope she doesn't.

The book can be found in bookstores from Friday. However, if you cannot read Dutch, you may have to wait a little. I hope the book will be translated into English.