When the signal sounds that sends a cyclist into the interval, onto the race or time trial course, most people probably can't think about much else than pedalling, breathing and how much their lungs and leg muscles are burning. Food? Not a chance.
Do you feel the same way? Then here's the good news: you don't have to. For short, intensive sessions lasting one to one and a half hours, the body can manage without energy replenishment. For an effort of such a limited duration, for example a time trial or race of around 25 to 35 kilometres, the body's own carbohydrate sources are enough to literally get you by. Around 400 to 600 grams of carbohydrates are stored in the form of glucose in the liver and working muscles of an average to well-trained cyclist. That's around 1600 to 2400 kilocalories, a certain buffer if we assume that a 75-kilogram rider burns around 900 to 1100 kilocalories in an hour of strenuous exercise - and some of these always come from fat. Even if the proportion of carbohydrates increases compared to fat at higher intensities and the body always retains 20 per cent of the glycogen reserves as an iron reserve to survive.
Exceptions? There are!
However, under certain circumstances it can still make sense to refuel even during comparatively short but intensive exercise. If the body's own stores are not sufficiently full, for example. This is usually the case if you have not been able to eat properly on the days and in the hours before the competition. A little energy replenishment doesn't hurt even if the exercise lasts longer than 80 to 90 minutes. An energy gel, taken after about a third of the time, can provide power for the final push to the finish. "Recovery after exercise is also important," says Christian Kramer, a former professional triathlete who now coaches endurance athletes on training and nutrition. "I can already help during the session so that I'm better energised afterwards and don't fall into a hole." Supplying energy on the go ensures that the body is well fuelled for future sessions during the sporting activity. This allows for consistency in training - and this is a prerequisite for increasing fitness and better performance in competition.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends around 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during competition or training, or around 0.7 grams per kilogramme of body weight per hour, for intensive exercise lasting 60 minutes or more. However, professional triathletes and cyclists now sometimes consume around 100 to 120 grams per hour. But be careful: any increase in carbohydrates must be done slowly and practised during training!
In contrast to exercise lasting more than 90 minutes, it is not necessary to combine the sugar sources. If a mix of glucose and fructose in a ratio of 2:1 ensures that the availability and usability of the two sugars is increased via the body's various transport routes over longer distances, this is unlikely to have any advantage over short distances. Carbohydrates such as glucose, sucrose, maltodextrin or products containing starch, for example a banana that is not yet fully ripe, are more suitable. These quickly available carbohydrates primarily stabilise the blood sugar level during short-term exercise - an important prerequisite for performance. Because if it drops below a certain threshold (approx. 70 mg/dl), hypoglycaemia may make itself felt with symptoms such as trembling, sweating and dizziness. After the end of an exertion, there may also be increased inflammatory reactions in the body and ravenous hunger attacks if the blood sugar level is on a rollercoaster. These are all things that you don't want to experience as a cyclist, and especially not in and around a competition.
How carbohydrates become energy
The form in which the body provides energy for sporting activity is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is an energy-rich phosphate produced by the mitochondria, the much-cited power stations of the cell. These small cell organelles, whose shape resembles peanut flips, are mainly found in cells with a high energy turnover, for example in the working muscles.
However, the mitochondria cannot produce ATP just like that, they need "fuel" themselves. They obtain this from pyruvate, which is produced when glucose (i.e. carbohydrates) is burnt, and from fatty acids, which are formed when fat is broken down. However, oxygen is required to burn fat. If the exercise is so intense that the athlete enters the anaerobic zone, i.e. there is not enough oxygen available, the body has to resort to carbohydrates or glucose. The mitochondria then convert this not into pyruvate, but into lactate. Our system can also utilise this to a certain extent to generate energy or, as soon as oxygen is available again, partially convert it back into pyruvate.
But the best thing is: carbohydrates provide energy even if you don't swallow them. They do not necessarily have to enter the bloodstream via the digestive tract during short, intensive exercise lasting up to 75 minutes. Studies have shown that rinsing the mouth with a carbohydrate-rich drink is sufficient for the receptor cells there to register energy replenishment and report it to the brain.
Carboloading? Light!
It also makes sense to consume energy during a short, intensive session if training or a competition takes place very early and breakfast has been small or cancelled altogether. A gel or sports drink in the saddle can at least compensate a little for the performance disadvantage caused by partially depleted glycogen stores overnight. However, it is better to eat sensibly beforehand. And this "before" starts the day before the race, keyword "carboloading light".
During training, try out how many carbohydrates you need to be able to perform and what you can tolerate. The proportion of carbohydrates in your meals the day before the race should be between five and eight grams per kilogramme of body weight, and 1.2 to 2 grams of protein. Fats should make up 20 to 30 per cent of your total daily calories.
So for a 75kg cyclist who trains four to five times a week and has found that around six grams of carbohydrate works best for them, that would be 450 grams of carbohydrate. An exemplary nutrition plan for the day before the race could therefore look like the box below.
Nutrition the day before the race - sample plan
Sample meal plan to start with optimally filled energy reserves
Breakfast
- 80 g rolled oats, 200 ml almond drink (unsweetened), 1 medium-sized banana (approx. 120 g), 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 glass of orange juice - a total of approx. 115 grams of carbohydrates*
Snack in the morning
- 1 medium-sized apple (approx. 200 g), cut into sticks, 3 wholemeal crackers, 100 g low-fat quark (as a dip) a total of approx. 40 grams of carbohydrates
Lunch
- 1 portion of wholemeal pasta (= 100-125 g uncooked), 200 g tomato sauce, 200 g broccoli, 100 g chicken breast; for dessert: 1 fruit and vegetable smoothie (approx. 200-250 ml) a total of approx. 120 grams of carbohydrates
Snack in the afternoon
- 1 handful of trail mix (approx. 50 g), 1 muesli bar (approx. 25 g), macchiato with 200 ml almond drink - a total of approx. 50 grams of carbohydrates
Dinner
- 200 g salmon, 1 portion of quinoa (= approx. 80 g uncooked), 200 g fresh spinach, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium-sized sweet potato (approx. 200 g) - a total of approx. 100 grams of carbohydrates
Snack in the evening
- 150 g Greek yoghurt, 100 g blueberries, 1 tsp honey - a total of approx. 25 grams of carbohydrates
* approximate values, vary depending on quantity and food
The perfect last meal
You should eat your last meal before the race three to four hours before the start. It should contain between one and four grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight and be low in fibre and fat so as not to burden your digestion. "White bread with jam or honey is suitable, for example. Some people also eat jelly babies," says nutrition expert Christian Kramer.
Experiment with what works best for you during training. In other words, time your breakfast before your training session as if it were race day. In this way, you can find out how many and which foods are good for you before an intensive workout and which are (too) heavy for you. In the last hour before the race, you can consume a few more easily digestible carbohydrates, for example in the form of a sports drink, a banana or an energy bar. Coffee fans will be pleased to hear that they don't have to miss out on their morning caffeine kick before an intense workout, on the contrary: "A quick espresso one to two hours before the start is great for keeping all the lights on," explains Christian Kramer.
The caffeine, which reaches the bloodstream within 30 to 120 minutes, increases concentration, raises the heart rate and stimulates the central nervous system. However, those who do not normally consume caffeine should get used to it slowly so as not to get heart palpitations. For cyclists who are used to caffeine, the stimulant appears to have a performance-enhancing effect from a concentration of three milligrams per kilogramme of body weight (but also side effects). For a 75-kilo athlete, that would be about one cup (400 ml) of coffee. However, it should not be more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, i.e. four to five cups.
And afterwards?
As soon as the finish line has been crossed and the pulse has calmed down, it is important to optimise the body for regeneration. Many cyclists are not hungry after a hard effort. However, you should at least sip on a recovery drink with carbohydrates and protein to initiate and support the body's repair processes. A full meal should then follow two to three hours later. Ideally a balanced mix of the three macronutrients carbohydrates, fat and protein as well as various micronutrients. For example, fish or tofu with wholegrain rice and vegetables is suitable. And the best thing is that this not only rewards you for your achievements, but also prepares you for what's next in your training plan.
