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Since cycling is an endurance sport, a cyclist must adopt a diet that matches the demands of the sport, especially when aiming to ride long distances during training or in a race. After discussing when and what to eat for a long bike race, today we suggest discovering which foods to prefer before the start of a race.
Opt for a balanced diet
For a cyclist, and indeed for any other athlete, nutrition is just as important as training to achieve a goal. Before thinking about a specific diet, the first thing to do is to adopt a balanced diet with proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables, with minimal fats to provide the body with everything it needs, without resorting to dietary supplements which are unnecessary for amateur athletes and should be reserved for professional athletes.
What meal should you consume the night before a race?
The dinner taken the night before the race is one of the most important meals to prepare for an intensive effort, especially when the race starts in the morning. This meal helps to build glycogen stores in the muscles thanks to a diet enriched with carbohydrates compared to a usual meal. But be careful not to overdo it: the body can only assimilate a certain amount of glucose, and beyond this limit, carbohydrates are converted into fat.
First and foremost, you need to provide carbohydrates, meaning a good quantity of starchy foods for the body. You can choose between pasta, rice cooked al dente, or potatoes. Aim for about 300 to 400 grams cooked.
Always accompany these with at least a hundred grams of cooked vegetables (not raw to avoid digestive issues and consequently, difficulty falling asleep). Complete with about a hundred grams of protein by opting for lean meat (poultry), an omelet (cooked with minimal fat), a piece of fish, or a slice of lean ham. Bread is also allowed.
To finish the meal, you can have a dairy product (yogurt or cottage cheese), followed by a fruit salad or a fruit compote. Finally, hydrate well, favoring still water.
Avoid fatty foods, fiber-rich foods (whole grain bread, whole grain cereals, etc.), and stimulant drinks (tea, coffee), as well as foods you are not used to consuming normally to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
What breakfast should you have before the start of a race?
On the day of the race, the last meal must be taken no later than three to four hours before the start to allow for a complete digestion cycle. However, when the race starts in the morning, this timeframe is impossible to adhere to. Therefore, you need to adapt your breakfast accordingly by choosing foods that are easy for the body to assimilate. Nevertheless, this meal should still be taken no later than two hours before the race to allow the body to digest the food.
For breakfast, you should prioritize low glycemic index foods to avoid a blood sugar spike followed by hypoglycemia during the race. For this, you have two options: a classic breakfast or a breakfast with Gatosport (or energy cake). In any case, take the time to chew well and enjoy this meal.
For a classic breakfast, we recommend opting for:
- Whole grain bread with a teaspoon of jam or honey or whole grain cereals (muesli);
- A lightly sweetened hot drink (tea or coffee);
- A dairy product (yogurt, cottage cheese);
- Freshly squeezed juice or a fruit or a fruit compote;
- Optionally, lean ham or an omelet for protein intake.
If you don't have time or are not used to eating in the morning, you can opt for Gatosport (or energy cake) which can be consumed up to 90 minutes before the start and can be baked the day before. Its nutritional composition is adapted to physical activity and is complete in terms of nutrients. You can accompany it with tea or coffee, yogurt, and fruit compote.
In the hour and a half before the start, you can also use a pre-race energy drink that you sip in small amounts until the start. It helps to increase carbohydrate and mineral reserves before the race. It usually consists of still water, maltodextrin, and powdered minerals.
Now that you are well-versed in the foods to prefer before the start of a race, how about discovering what type of diet to adopt for cycling? Do you also know which foods to prefer during the effort?
