Cimolai: I threw away two or three years of my career because of eating problems

CESENATICO ITALY OCTOBER 15 Start Davide Cimolai of Italy and Team Israel StartUp Nation Team Presentation during the 103rd Giro dItalia 2020 Stage Twelve a 204km stage from Cesenatico to Cesenatico girodiitalia Giro on October 15 2020 in Cesenatico Italy Photo by Stuart FranklinGetty Images
Davide Cimolai (Israel Start-Up Nation) (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Israel Start-Up Nation sprinter Davide Cimolai has spoken out about eating disorders and pro cycling's focus on weight loss, saying that he wasted several years of the beginning of his career because of the illness.

Cimolai, now in his 12th year as a pro, spoke about how some coaches and staff in the sport had an "old mentality" regarding nutrition and weight, particularly within Italian cycling. He said that he wishes he could have had someone to guide him as a young rider.

Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.