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Vegan cyclist Anna Henderson has won a silver medal at the Olympics, one of the first for Team GB in Paris this year.
Read more: 7 Times Plant-Based Athletes Triumphed In Sports In 2023
“I used to be like, ‘I’ll never be vegan, I love meat,” Henderson told cycling magazine Rouleur. “But I think what happens is that we all dissociate from what meat is and what animals are.” Once she “made that connection” she “couldn’t eat meat anymore or any animal products.”
She has talked publicly about veganism in the past and says she wishes there were more professional cyclists following a vegan lifestyle. “All round for me it’s been such a huge positive change in my life. And I hope that riders will make the change soon.”
Vegans winning races
Henderson may currently be in a minority among cyclists, but there are a few other high-profile vegans winning cycling competitions.
Read more: Vegan Duathlon Athlete Crowned World Champion
Retired cyclist and triathlete Adam Hansen has attributed winning 20 grand tour races in a row to veganism improving his health. “Every time I got blood tests done with the team, they were always amazed at my results because I was the healthiest rider by far with my blood markers,” he told VeloNews. “The medics always said I had some of the best results they’d seen.”
Hansen’s fellow Australian cyclist Michael Storer has said the same, according to VeloNews. “Going vegan a few years ago definitely had an impact on my body composition. I really leaned up a lot while maintaining muscle and that for sure paid off in my climbing.” He acknowledged that he couldn’t prove that his wins were down to his diet, but said it’s “definitely clear” that “you can perform while eating vegan. I won two stages at the Vuelta as a vegan – that says enough.”
Read more: 2024 Olympics Set To Double Its Plant-Based Food Offering
This article was amended on July 30, 2024, to remove a quote erroneously attributed to Henderson that veganism made her cycle faster
