Beyond the ‘Dead Leg’: Lukene Trujillano’s Fight to Return to the Peloton

For a 21-year-classic athlete, life is usually measured in milestones: the first major win, the jump to the U23 ranks, the pursuit of a professional contract. But for Lukene Trujillano, the last 18 months have been measured in something far more frustrating: the slow, agonizing disappearance of strength in her left leg and the suffocating silence of a missing diagnosis.

The cyclist from Amurrio, Spain, has spent over a year and a half sidelined from competition. What began as a subtle loss of power evolved into a medical mystery that left her questioning her own sanity. Now, Trujillano is facing the final hurdle in a grueling journey back to the bike: a delicate surgical intervention to treat a condition known colloquially in the cycling world as “dead leg.”

The Invisible Wall

Trujillano’s descent into medical uncertainty didn’t happen overnight. It started with a loss of strength in her left leg, followed by a feeling of pressure whenever she intensified her effort. Then came the tingling and a chilling visual cue: her foot would turn completely white after training or when exposed to the cold.

For a rider accustomed to measuring her life in watts and kilometers, these signals were terrifying. Given that the symptoms were not immediately visible to doctors, Trujillano began to wonder if the problem was in her head. She noted that Shirin van Anrooij, a rider for Lidl-Trek, had experienced similar doubts, feeling as though she were “crazy” before receiving a diagnosis. The psychological toll of feeling your body fail without a clear explanation is often as taxing as the physical ailment itself.

Diagnosing Iliac Artery Endofibrosis

The uncertainty finally ended with a diagnosis of endofibrosis of the external iliac artery. In the cycling community, This represents the “dead leg” phenomenon. It is a condition where the blood vessel becomes obstructed, preventing oxygen-rich blood from reaching the muscles during high-intensity efforts. When the blood flow is blocked, the leg simply “shuts down,” losing strength and color.

This pathology is recurrent in cycling and is caused by the repetitive motion of pedaling. Specifically, the psoas muscle presses against the artery, eventually causing it to become scarred or blocked. Whereas Trujillano’s symptoms were most prominent in her left leg, medical findings revealed the issue was bilateral, adding a layer of complexity to her case.

Trujillano is far from the only elite athlete to face this struggle. The list of riders who have undergone surgery for the same condition includes some of the greatest names in the sport, such as Annemiek van Vleuten, Marianne Vos, and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. On the men’s side, Fabio Aru, Steven Kruijswijk, and Fabio Jakobsen have all navigated the same surgical path.

The Battle for Treatment

Getting to the point of surgery was not a straightforward process. Trujillano spent over a year navigating the Spanish public health system, enduring a cycle of consultations, tests, and referrals. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, she found herself in a position where she could not be treated for the condition within Spain.

Desperate to reclaim her health and her career, the U23 rider turned to the public. She launched a fundraising campaign under the motto, “A new year, a single wish: recover my health,” seeking the funds necessary to undergo the operation in Belgium. The response was immediate, with the campaign raising 2,390 euros in just a few days.

The Road Ahead

Now, the focus is entirely on the operating table. Trujillano is awaiting the delicate intervention that will clear the obstruction in her iliac artery and end the “months of chaos” that have defined her young adult life. Despite the seriousness of the procedure, the rider remains resolute.

“I’m not afraid,” Trujillano stated, reflecting a determination to return to the sport that has been her passion since childhood.

For a cyclist who has been immersed in the sport since birth, the goal is simple: to sense the power return to her legs and to rejoin the peloton. While the road to recovery after such a surgery is demanding, the clarity of a diagnosis and a scheduled solution have replaced the fog of uncertainty.

Key Facts: Iliac Artery Endofibrosis in Cycling

• Cause: The psoas muscle presses against the external iliac artery during the pedaling motion, leading to obstruction.
• Primary Symptoms: Loss of leg strength, tingling, pressure during effort, and blanching (whitening) of the foot.
• Impact: Muscles are deprived of oxygen during high-intensity exercise, leading to a sudden drop in performance.
• Treatment: Surgical intervention to remove the blockage or widen the artery.

The next confirmed checkpoint for Trujillano is the surgical procedure itself. Once the intervention is complete, the focus will shift to a structured rehabilitation period to ensure the artery remains open and her muscular strength is restored.

Do you think more should be done to educate young athletes on the signs of endofibrosis? Share your thoughts in the comments below.