nutrition
Nutrition is a key part to the Tour De France, all riders have to undergo an extreme regimen of training as discussed earlier, and this training and the Tour De France would not be capable without the aid of an advanced knowledge of nutrition that allows for individual racers to compete for a longer duration than normal. These athletes consume 4000-9000 calories per stage as they use ~6000 calories per stage of the race. They are able to maintain this calorie threshold with the use of a specific diet during their training and an even stricter one during the Tour De France itself, wherein they occasionally during the event consume energy bars, gels, sandwiches, and drinks to recover energy and calories (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
In the past racers in the Tour De France had no knowledge of solid nutritional factors that improved performance. They instead relied on hearsay, rumour, and what proved successful for them in the past. A great example is Maurice Garin who has been said to have used: strong red wine, 19 litres of hot chocolate, seven litres of tea, eight cooked eggs, a mix of coffee and champagne, 45 cutlets, five litres of tapioca, two kilos of rice, and oysters. During races because they at the time considered to be performance enhancers. Whereas now it is common knowledge that a lot of these do not affect performance, but some do, and have only been discovered to do so because of our advancement in knowledge of nutrition
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Garin).
These professional racers maintain their level of performance, are able to promote quick recover, prevent weight loss and muscle atrophy, and maintain overall health and wellbeing thanks to their diets. The riders and teams focus on nutrition, and are guided by a performance nutritionalist and team chef to ensure that the food being prepared and consumed is above any nutritional requirements, wherein the focus is primarily on quality. The team chefs focus on varied and nutritious foods to avoid meal fatigue during the Tour De France (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
Along with the recommended calorie intake of 4000-9000 the athletes also need to typically have a carbohydrate intake of 500-700g per day to allow for an extended and enhanced long distance performance. All dietary needs for athletes in the Tour De France are different, no two athletes will have the same nutritionally requirements and these requirements change depending on many factors such as if the portion of the race is a mountain climb, weather, and distance
(http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
A typical day for a rider starts out with them consuming a juice drink to provide nutrients and energy. Then for breakfast they eat porridge, eggs, bread, and jam all of which provide essential nutrients; they are also offered rice and pasta to give them a boost in carbohydrates. During the pre-race stage of a day riders will consume energy bars, energy drinks, or electrolyte drinks to fuel them for the upcoming stage(s) they have to compete in (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
During the first stages of a race riders tend to eat solids with a lot of carbohydrates in them. As the intensity of stages and races increase the athletes consume technical products such as gel packs. All of these nutritional foods and products will be stored in the pockets of the riders and picked up along the way. The riders must stay hydrated during the race and use electrolyte drinks to do so. They are encouraged to consume two-three pieces of “race food” per hour and an additional 500ml of water per hour (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
After a stage is complete riders consume recovery shakes that contain all the essential ingredients for recovery, rice, tuna, and potatoes. These all provide the riders with proteins along with the co-ingestion of carbohydrates to rebuild muscles and kick start recovery (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
Then athletes consume an evening meal consisting of foods high in proteins, and carbohydrates, some vegetables, and fruit for desert to remain health and retain their nutrition re-absorption. Finally before they go to bed to get the required amount of rest which aids in recovery and repairing of muscles, they consume dairy products, and again 20-25g of protein (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
In the past racers in the Tour De France had no knowledge of solid nutritional factors that improved performance. They instead relied on hearsay, rumour, and what proved successful for them in the past. A great example is Maurice Garin who has been said to have used: strong red wine, 19 litres of hot chocolate, seven litres of tea, eight cooked eggs, a mix of coffee and champagne, 45 cutlets, five litres of tapioca, two kilos of rice, and oysters. During races because they at the time considered to be performance enhancers. Whereas now it is common knowledge that a lot of these do not affect performance, but some do, and have only been discovered to do so because of our advancement in knowledge of nutrition
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Garin).
These professional racers maintain their level of performance, are able to promote quick recover, prevent weight loss and muscle atrophy, and maintain overall health and wellbeing thanks to their diets. The riders and teams focus on nutrition, and are guided by a performance nutritionalist and team chef to ensure that the food being prepared and consumed is above any nutritional requirements, wherein the focus is primarily on quality. The team chefs focus on varied and nutritious foods to avoid meal fatigue during the Tour De France (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
Along with the recommended calorie intake of 4000-9000 the athletes also need to typically have a carbohydrate intake of 500-700g per day to allow for an extended and enhanced long distance performance. All dietary needs for athletes in the Tour De France are different, no two athletes will have the same nutritionally requirements and these requirements change depending on many factors such as if the portion of the race is a mountain climb, weather, and distance
(http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
A typical day for a rider starts out with them consuming a juice drink to provide nutrients and energy. Then for breakfast they eat porridge, eggs, bread, and jam all of which provide essential nutrients; they are also offered rice and pasta to give them a boost in carbohydrates. During the pre-race stage of a day riders will consume energy bars, energy drinks, or electrolyte drinks to fuel them for the upcoming stage(s) they have to compete in (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
During the first stages of a race riders tend to eat solids with a lot of carbohydrates in them. As the intensity of stages and races increase the athletes consume technical products such as gel packs. All of these nutritional foods and products will be stored in the pockets of the riders and picked up along the way. The riders must stay hydrated during the race and use electrolyte drinks to do so. They are encouraged to consume two-three pieces of “race food” per hour and an additional 500ml of water per hour (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
After a stage is complete riders consume recovery shakes that contain all the essential ingredients for recovery, rice, tuna, and potatoes. These all provide the riders with proteins along with the co-ingestion of carbohydrates to rebuild muscles and kick start recovery (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).
Then athletes consume an evening meal consisting of foods high in proteins, and carbohydrates, some vegetables, and fruit for desert to remain health and retain their nutrition re-absorption. Finally before they go to bed to get the required amount of rest which aids in recovery and repairing of muscles, they consume dairy products, and again 20-25g of protein (http://www.otesports.co.uk/blog/post/the-nutrition-of-a-tour-de-france-rider/).