Ane Santesteban has revealed the health issues that left her struggling throughout the 2024 season, culminating in a diagnosis of endometriosis and an ovarian cyst discovered last October. Speaking openly on Instagram and in an interview last week with Relevo, the Basque rider described months of unexplained pain, frustration, and misdiagnoses before finally understanding what had been affecting her performance.
“On October 31st, at an annual gynaecological review, I saw a cyst in the ovary and endometriosis,” Santesteban wrote. “I had been in pain for months, feeling unwell and visiting doctors for a diagnosis and solution. It took months.”
Her struggles began to intensify after the Ardennes Classics, where she initially performed at her expected level but soon developed lingering health issues. “After Ardennes, I got an infection and was on antibiotics for a long time. I couldn’t breathe, I lost my sense of smell for months, and we thought it was long COVID. But I kept feeling worse,” she explained.
By the Tour de France, the pain had become unbearable. “I had a pain in my back and legs that I couldn’t handle anymore. I wasn’t even able to push myself—at 150 heart rate, my left leg just wouldn’t go anymore. I cried from the pain during races.”
“People told me it was mental”
As her form deteriorated, speculation grew about why Santesteban, who had finished 10th in the 2023 Giro and 8th in the Tour, was struggling so much. Many assumed it was mental pressure, particularly as she had moved to the Spanish-based Laboral Kutxa team after racing with Jayco-AlUla.
“Most people attributed my low performance to something mental, to not tolerating the ‘pressure’ of racing for the home team. But the only pressure I put on myself is the one I always have—because I want to give my best,” she said. “I knew something was wrong with me. I wasn’t feeling well. I had different symptoms that I didn’t know where they came from.”
Santesteban recalled conversations with her coach and team doctor after the Tour, where she described pain in her lower back and legs. An MRI showed nothing, and visits to other specialists provided no answers. “Desperation and more desperation,” she admitted. “Until I went to the gynaecologist in October, and we saw what the problem was.”
The diagnosis—an ovarian cyst and endometriosis—finally gave her clarity. “I noticed that my hip felt completely twisted. No matter how much the osteopath tried to manipulate it, I felt locked up, stuck together. Thanks to that description, the gynaecologist found the problem. The endometriosis was causing those adhesions and stopping me from holding the right position.”
Managing the condition and looking ahead
For now, Santesteban is managing her condition with medication. “The solution? Taking the pill. It doesn’t fix the problem, but the words of my gynaecologist were: ‘quality of life’. And for me, that’s what it has been. The stabbing pains that used to make me twist in agony are gone. The good vibes are back, and I know the results will come.”
She has also immersed herself in research about endometriosis and how diet and supplements can help manage symptoms. “Fortunately, there are more and more studies and people talking about it. I have discovered a whole world, and I’m going to share more about it.”
The experience has made her determined to raise awareness. “At first, I thought about keeping it quiet, out of shame to talk about women’s health—hormones, ovaries. But I’ve decided to speak up to normalise it, to give visibility, and most of all, to help other women.”
Now, with her symptoms under control, Santesteban is refocused on competition. At the recent Setmana Valenciana, she was back at the sharp end of racing, fighting for victory until the final kilometre. Looking ahead, she is motivated to help guide Laboral Kutxa towards the Women’s WorldTour, leaving behind a 2024 season that, at last, makes sense.
