Fuel Your Ride: A Road Cycling Nutrition Guide

If you're a cyclist looking to take your performance to the next level, it's essential to fuel your body with the right nutrients. Sports nutrition plays a crucial role in helping cyclists maintain their energy levels, prevent injuries, and achieve their goals. The nutritionists at Trainer Road claim that the right nutrition plan can influence your performance gains by up to 50%. In this blog post, our founder Sam, through his fitness instructor and nutrition studies, will explain the key principles of sports nutrition for cyclists’ and explain why getting your diet right when on holiday with us is essential to maximise your enjoyment and performance.

Carbohydrates are King

Cyclists rely heavily on carbohydrates for energy during long rides. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruit, are ideal because they release energy gradually, providing a steady source of fuel for your ride. There are a wide variety of complex carbohydrates, including quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and lentils. These complex carbohydrates also contain important vitamins, minerals, and fibre that can help keep you feeling full throughout your ride.

Simple carbohydrates are made up of one or two sugar molecules and are found in foods such as fruit, sweets, and most energy gels. They are quickly absorbed by the body, causing a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. However, this spike in blood sugar is usually followed by a crash, which can leave the body feeling fatigued and low on energy.

In contrast, complex carbohydrates are made up of multiple sugar molecules and are found in foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and legumes. They are slower to digest and are absorbed more gradually, providing a steady source of energy over a longer period of time.

It is important to remember that not all carbs are created equally. Grains stripped of fibre such as white rice, pasta and bread, are considered complex carbohydrates, however, they are broken down quickly by the body making them easy to digest and absorb.

When on a long ride, it is best to consume a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates can provide a quick burst of energy when needed but should be balanced with complex carbohydrates to maintain energy levels over a longer period of time. Rice cakes are a favourite amongst the pro peloton and are easy and cheap to make. You can watch here this great video by GCN on how to make them.

Protein Builds and Repairs Muscle

Protein is essential for building and repairing muscle tissue, which is crucial for cyclists. Good clean sources of protein include beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, nuts and seeds. Nut butters and tahini can be a great way to get protein through a different meal such as on toast, cereal, or as a dip. A well-planned diet can provide all the necessary protein to support muscle growth and recovery. If you’ve got the time to dive into the macro nutrition of what you are eating we recommend the app MyFitnessPal. MyFitnessPal is a nutrition app that helps users track their diet. Users can log their meals and track their intake. The app has a large database of foods making it easy to log meals accurately by simply scanning the bar code of packet foods. This is a good place to start until you’re roughly familiar with the macros and micros of a given meal.

Don't Forget About Fats

While carbohydrates and protein are essential for cyclists, fats also play an important role in fueling your ride. Healthy fats, such as those found in nuts, seeds, and uncooked virgin oils, provide long-lasting energy and can help reduce inflammation in the body. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, can also help reduce inflammation and improve recovery time.

Hydration is Key

Cyclists can lose significant amounts of water through sweat, so staying hydrated is critical. There are a lot of factors influencing the amount of water you need to consume. A road cycling holiday with us in the Alps is likely to be a warmer climate than you usually ride therefore your water consumption should increase. Wooden chalets, higher elevation, and dry air all affect hydration. Aim to drink at least 2.5-3.7 litres of water per day, and drink before, during, and after your ride. For longer rides, add electrolytes to your drinks to replenish the minerals lost through sweat and help your body retain the volume of water you are consuming. If you’re feeling dehydrated and want to catch up, coconut water is high in electrolytes which helps your body absorb the fluid.

Timing is Everything

When it comes to sports nutrition for cyclists, timing is everything. To maintain energy levels during your ride, consume a pre-ride meal that's high in carbohydrates and low in fat and fibre. It will vary with the individual’s physiological and metabolic structure but as a general rule of thumb during your ride, aim to consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, depending on the duration and intensity of your ride. And post-ride, make sure to refuel with a meal that's high in carbohydrates and protein to help repair muscle tissue and replenish energy stores.

Inflammation: Friend or Foe?

Lastly, I want to talk about the often-overlooked topic of inflammation. Inflammation is a natural response by the body's immune system to injury or infection. During exercise, such as cycling, muscles undergo small amounts of damage which trigger the body's inflammation response. While this is a normal part of the body's repair process, chronic or excessive inflammation can lead to decreased performance and increased risk of injury. To reduce inflammation, cyclists can focus on consuming a diet that is high in anti-inflammatory foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and prioritise rest and recovery time. Massages, stretches, and foam rolling also help. When looking at recovery not only should you incorporate recovery rides and rest days into your training plan but you should also focus, especially on these days, on getting your diet right to reduce inflammation.

For all of our cycling holidays, we craft our menu to follow these key principles so our riders will feel great both on the bike and around the dinner table. We understand that getting the right nutrition can make all the difference to your enjoyment on the road. Our amazing chef in Morzine is happy to cater for dietary requirements such as gluten-free, vegetarian or plant-based vegan diets. So, fuel up, book your flights, and taste how delicious a menu designed around cyclists can be.