This year’s Vuelta a España saw the riders battle through searingly hot temperatures in the opening week, tackle fast racing in week two, before a climbing-packed final week which made for the Grand Tour with the most elevation gain in modern cycling history.
All of that adds up and puts serious demands on the bodies of the team’s well-trained athletes, therefore it is crucial that we stay fuelled in the best way possible to perform to our best ability on the bike and get through the three weeks fit and healthy.
We spoke to Team dsm-firmenich PostNL nutritionist Zoë Overzee who talked us through just exactly how we do that.
Building a base
With the rigours and demands of any bike race, it’s important that the riders fuel up well the day before, as Zoë explains.
“The focus is on pasta, rice and bread, so that the riders can maximise their liver and muscle glycogen stores and start the following day optimally fuelled.”
Alongside these foods, the riders also get their carbohydrates from legumes, vegetables and fruit – which provide them with important minerals and vitamins. It’s not just the classic “carb-loading” rhetoric that is hailed by many amateurs though, we also focus on ensuring that the riders get enough protein to support their muscle recovery.
“Protein is not used as a source of fuel for cycling. However, it ensures that riders can recover properly from each stage, so it is important to get an adequate amount of protein in every meal to get a constant delivery of amino acids – which are the building blocks of protein.”
This is achieved through carefully curated menus made from as many whole foods as possible which focus on the above factors but in the case of stage racing, or the day before a one-day race, the team focus on foods that are easier to digest; so minimising saturated fats such as butter and fatty meats, and instead focus on unsaturated fat sources such as olive oils and fish. All the dishes on the menu are then brought to life at the Vuelta by the Team Cook.