The daily menu of a rider is a multi-course, 8,000-calorie gut-buster cooked up by science and flavored like carbs.

From early morning rice binges to late-night pasta parties, , , and the Tour de France peloton get little respite from meal plans that are interrogated to the macronutrient and managed to the micro level.

In a sport that鈥檚 reduced to the finest margins, nutrition has become as essential as VO2 max, aerodynamics, and race craft. are just as much a part of the Tour de France entourage as mechanic stations and massage tables.

The pressure to achieve perfect fueling means a Tour de France daily menu is as complex as a six-month training schedule or a mechanic鈥檚 Di2 manual. They鈥檙e the product of nutritionists and physiologists as much as a team鈥檚 own Michelin-level chef.

Here鈥檚 how a day on Tour might taste:

T-minus Three Hours to Stage: A Breakfast that Looks like Dinner

The breakfast buffet:

• For the new-school: Rice, pasta, noodles, quinoa, eggs, fruits, juices/smoothies, electrolyte and prebiotic drinks, coffee.
• For the traditionalist: Oatmeal, cereals, bread, pancakes, eggs, cold meats, yogurts, fruits, juices/smoothies, electrolyte and prebiotic drinks, coffee.

A rider could burn more than 5,000 calories during the hardest stages of the Tour de France.

That enormous energy demand means the gruppetto awaits anyone who missed a few mouthfuls that morning.

Resultantly, breakfast is a multi-course banquet devoted to the church of carbohydrates.

鈥淚n general, most riders will have four times their body weight in grams of carbohydrates at breakfast alone,鈥� Israel Premier Tech nutritionist Gabriel Martins said.

鈥淚 dare a normal person to try to eat this amount of food at breakfast,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ost of us would struggle to do that in a whole day.鈥�

The peloton is divided into two echelons of breakfast preferences.

For some, 鈥渂reakfast鈥� is a morning meal that looks and tastes like dinner. Bulging bowls of rice, pasta, noodles, and quinoa provide an easy energy fix.

For the diminishing resistance that maintains 9 am is no time for rice, oatmeal, breads, and pancakes are the centerpiece of a 鈥渢raditional鈥� tasting morning meal.

鈥淩ice is now the preference carbohydrate for us, and we encourage it for our riders. It鈥檚 perfect race food. It鈥檚 super carbohydrate dense, gluten-free and so it is easy to digest,鈥� JAyco-AlUla nutrition scientist Laura Martinelli told Velo. 鈥淲e encourage it for any, or all, the meals of the day.鈥�

Whatever a rider鈥檚 preference, breakfast serves as the final phase of a 24/7 鈥渃arb load鈥� that ensures grand tour riders are ready to race for three weeks straight.

Most riders in the Tour peloton will aim to chow 10-12 grams of carbohydrate per kilo of body mass in the 24 hours before any stage that鈥檚 expected to be a sufferfest.

For ~60kg Jonas Vingegaard, that鈥檚 a 600-720g 鈥渃arb load鈥�, the equivalent of approximately 2,500 calories. In real terms, that鈥檚 a gut-wobbling three kilos of cooked white rice.

There is some respite from all things starch and sugar.

Nutrition-packed smoothies and small serves of muscle-saving protein accompany the carbohydrates and provide a welcome break from bowls of beige.

鈥淲e have to make sure food remains interesting to riders, especially on a grand tour when they eat so much every day,鈥� Martinelli said. 鈥淭he colors and flavors, even the textures, need to be varied and bright. Otherwise riders get 鈥榖ored鈥�.鈥�

T-minus 30 Minutes to Stage Start: A Caffeine Boost and a Sugar Rush

The tank-topper:

• Rice cakes, wraps, energy bars.
• Espresso, espresso, espresso!

Just a few short hours and a bus ride after breakfast, it鈥檚 time to eat again.

Riders slam several espressos and chew on energy bars, bananas, and rice cakes while they pin numbers and ratchet shoes in buses that serve as kitchens, bathrooms, and lounges.

Those final espressos aren鈥檛 just a token nod to cycling tradition.

Caffeine is one of the few legal ergogenic aids. A dose of 3-6mg/kg body mass is proven to boost endurance, enhance cognition, and benefit perceived exertion.

Every rider will have established their caffeine limit during training and will buzz their way toward that threshold at breakfast, on the bus, and finally on the bike with a pocket full of rocket-fuel caffeine gels.

During the Stage: The Carb Frenzy

In the bottles, musettes, and jersey pockets:

• Energy gels, chews, bars.
• Carbohydrate and electrolyte drinks.
• Rice cakes, wraps, mini cokes.

Aero bike frames, electronic gearsets, and have made the Tour de France a totally different sport from that of even a decade ago.

In-race fueling strategies progressed just as fast.

This decade has seen a that shifted the dial on what鈥檚 possible for performance.

Energy gels and drinks pack improved carbohydrate ratios and hydrogel technologies that allow riders to take down sugars at unprecedented rates.

鈥淐arbohydrate targets during racing increase year by year鈥� Jayco-AlUla鈥檚 Martinelli said. 鈥淚 started working in cycling in 2013, and at that time, 70-80 grams of carb per hour was the ideal target to be competitive. Nowadays, you need 100-110g at least.鈥�

The rise of gut- and pallete-friendly gels and drinks has driven the pace of the pro peloton.

Riders can push thresholds higher in training and recover faster from their efforts to achieve an upward spiral of progress.

They can be more aggressive in racing, for longer periods.

The era of gut-rotting GI distress and race-ending 鈥渂onks鈥� is long gone.

鈥淭he ability to tolerate carbs is becoming one of the biggest factors in winning or losing,鈥� Astana-Qazaqstan trainer Vasilis Anastopoulos said.

Most riders now rely almost purely on energy products to power a day in the saddle.

Gels and bars are easy to eat, carb-dense, and pocket-friendly. Energy-packed drinks can meet fueling and hydration needs with a few thirst-quenching sips.

A rider aiming at the new 鈥済old standard鈥� of 120 grams per hour of carbohydrate might be slurping three or more energy gels per hour for a constant flow of fast fuel that guarantees they鈥檒l never be hit by 鈥渢he hammer.鈥�

The musette picnic of rice cakes, wraps, and cokes so central to the Chris Froome era are now just a decorative cherry on top of the synthetically produced cake.

鈥溾�橬ormal foods鈥� go into the race bags as much to help a rider鈥檚 morale as anything,鈥� Lidl-Trek nutritionist Stephanie Scheirlynck told Velo. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not much performance benefit, but they do no harm and keep riders happy, so why not?鈥�

At the Finish Line: A Recovery Kick-starter of Ketones, Carbs, Sodium

Drinks from the bar:

• Water, sodas, juices, ketone mixes, hydration mixes.
• Haribos!

Riders are met at the finish line of the Tour de France by a stocked bar of recovery-boosting drinks.

Staffers laden with bottles of water, soda, and ketone mixes hustle out to riders and thrust drinks their way before they鈥檝e barely caught breath. Bags of candies serve as the finish line finger-food.

鈥淩iders now mostly get a juice after races. The main thing is to provide them with simple sugars; glucose and fructose to start replenishing the glycogen stores,鈥� Bora-Hansgrohe nutritionist Tim Podlogar told Velo.

鈥淪ometimes the juice is cherry juice as there is some evidence that this can help with recovery,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen, they usually get some gummies or dates. Again, it鈥檚 simple sugars.鈥�

Ketones, the peloton鈥檚 , are also a part of the mix.

This so-called 鈥渇ourth macronutrient鈥� rose to the headlines off the back of its perceived impact on performance, but the peloton now chooses ketones primarily for recovery.

鈥淜etones help recovery and lower chronic inflammation and oxidative stress,鈥� Alpecin-Decuninck team doctor Peter Lagrou said. 鈥淏oth are very important in the prevention of illness, injuries, overuse, mental and cognitive fatigue.鈥�

One Hour Post-Stage: A Bus Ride Buffet for Rapid Replenishment

The post-ride picnic:

• Protein shake: Whey, optional aminos, and maltodextrin (sugar).
• Carbs: Rice, pasta, potatoes.
• Lean proteins: Chicken, fish, eggs.

The team bus provides riders sanctuary from the melee of bike-mad crowds and pesky media crews.

Nowhere is safe from the full-time requirement to fuel, however.

鈥淚t鈥檚 crucial the guys eat on the bus,鈥� Lidl-Trek expert Scheirlynck聽said. 鈥淒inner won鈥檛 be for many hours, and the faster they can start to reload their energy, the better it is for recovery. It simply can鈥檛 be missed in a three-week race.鈥�

A pre-shower smoothie ensures riders hit the benchmark 20 grams of protein required for rapid muscle synthesis before an on-board meal continues the replenishment process.

Intriguingly, protein is less a priority in a 聽than the shelves full of protein shakes, snacks, and supplements at your local health store may have you believe.

Protein isn鈥檛 the priority for an endurance athlete who burns days鈥� worth of energy in a few breathless hours of WorldTour racing.

鈥淲e have to prioritize carbohydrate in the hours after the stage, so we keep protein intake to about 30-40 grams in total,鈥� Israel Premier Tech nutritionist Vanessa Zoras said. 鈥淲e then aim for riders to consume at least 2-2.5 grams per kilogram over the rest of the meals and snacks throughout the day.鈥�

A shake and a a shower later, it鈥檚 finally time for 鈥渞eal鈥� food.

鈥淓ach rider will get a fresh pre-packed meal on the bus that was prepared by our chef, or there will be dishes on board,鈥� Martinelli said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 usually rice, pasta, or potatoes, with a protein accompaniment like chicken or tuna.

鈥淲e also make sure it鈥檚 colorful with vegetables, and make sure it鈥檚 pleasing to eat,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t can be hard for riders to 鈥榝orce鈥� food in after these races, so the meal has to look and taste good.鈥�

This post-race meal isn鈥檛 the type of go-til-you-blow affair that rewards an amateur warrior after their big weekend ride.

Nutritionists like Martinelli and Scheirlynck extrapolate 鈥渨orkload鈥� scores from power meters into portion sizes and protein-carb-fat ratios that perfectly offset a rider鈥檚 exertions of the day.

鈥淲e calculate riders鈥� recovery targets rather than leave them to go by 鈥榝eel鈥� or hunger cues,鈥� Jayco-AlUla鈥檚 Martinelli said, referring to the re-feeding process. 鈥淲hen a rider is very tired, and their appetites are suppressed, they could very easily get it wrong.鈥�

Four (ish) Hours Post-stage: A Dinner Tailored to the Next Day

A dinner for the next day:

• Pre-mountain stage menu: A calorie-dense meal focused on carbohydrate, with minimal vegetables and lean protein: Rice, pasta, potatoes, chicken, fish.
• Pre-sprint stage menu: A high-volume, lower calorie meal rich in nutrients, lower on carbohydrates: Salads, soups, pulses, grilled or steamed vegetables, quinoa chicken, fish 鈥� and of course, rice, pasta, potatoes.
• Pre-rest day menu: Home-made burgers, pizza, lasagne, barbecues.

The evening meal is designed with both recovery and refueling in mind.

Like how the post-ride meal reflects the demands of that day鈥檚 stage, the evening meal reflects what鈥檚 to come.

When a climbing stage that might burn 5-6,000 calories is on the horizon, riders eat a suitably mountainous meal focused on energy-rich carbohydrates.

Vegetables, salads, and proteins make only a small proportion of a meal designed to take riders toward the crushing carbohydrate benchmarks set on the Tour鈥檚 hardest days.

The script is flipped the evening before an 鈥渆asy鈥� sprint stage.

鈥淲hen we think of grand tour menus, it鈥檚 about 鈥榝unction鈥� for the mountains, and 鈥榟ealth鈥� the rest of the time,鈥� Scheirlynck said.

鈥淏ut we think about satiety, too. On a mountain stage we try to create a small volume of food that鈥檚 packed with energy,鈥� she said. 鈥淐onversely, before a sprint stage, we look to proteins, big salads, and soups to help make riders feel full without overloading on calories.鈥�

Team chefs even consider the weather when concocting their multi-course menus.

Riders will be met with cold soups and iced deserts after a scorcher on the C么te d鈥橝zur, but hearty broths and warming stews after a rain-soaked stage up in Brittany.

Nutritionists pull at the three levers of nutrition 鈥� carbohydrates, proteins, and fats 鈥� when they design every meal.

Fiber is another variable that鈥檚 carefully fine-tuned.

Fibrous vegetables and salads are scrapped the evening before a mountain stage in that prevents riders from retaining water and gaining weight.

A pre-mountain day dinner is a dreary affair of beige 鈥渇uel鈥� rather than an Instagram-worthy rainbow plate of health-supporting nutrients and vitamins.

The 鈥済ood stuff鈥� a rider鈥檚 mom would have them eat 鈥� multi-color vegetables, healthy fats, and pulses 鈥� is reserved for other evenings.

鈥淲e look at nutrition across the grand tour as a whole and balance it across that whole period,鈥� Lidl-Trek expert Scheirlynck said.

鈥淭he meals on some days may seem plain, maybe unbalanced. But across the three weeks, we ensure riders get everything they need in terms of vitamins and minerals.鈥�

And the evening before a rest day or perhaps the night of a team victory?

There鈥檚 no trip to the nearest 鈥淕olden Arches鈥� or pizza joint. Fatty patties and pepperoni parties have to wait for when riders start fueling for stage 22.

Instead, team chefs serve their own take on a Tour de France 鈥渃heat meal鈥�.

Homemade burgers, tacos, and lasagnes using lower-fat, higher-nutrition recipes feel like a celebration but don鈥檛 overdo the calories. Some teams serve up some bubbly, while others maintain policies to abstain.

Just a few episodes of Netflix and a 10-hour sleep later, and the fueling frenzy starts all over again.

The post Here鈥檚 What a Tour de France Rider Eats in a Day appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

and UAE Emirates ruled the Galibier but they鈥檙e not the kings of the just yet.

For yellow jersey Pogacar and his great nemesis , the three-week Tour de France has only just begun.

鈥淓veryone did five-star work today and we can do that again,鈥� UAE Emirates director Joxean Fern谩ndez Matxin told after he orchestrated the team鈥檚 Alpine assault Tuesday.

鈥淲hether the Tour has already been decided? No, of course not. That鈥檚 only in Nice,鈥� Matxin said. 鈥淎nd it will be a very long time before we get there.鈥�

UAE Emirates obliterated everyone on the hulking Hors Categorie Galibier with on Tuesday鈥檚 fourth stage.

Visma-Lease a Bike melted away from Vingegaard, was on the ropes, and even the most dogged version of struggled to hold on.

Yet Pogacar鈥檚 45- and 50- second classification advantage over Evenepoel and Vingegaard respectively means nothing in a race that will be decided in the Pyr茅n茅es and Alps of week three.

鈥淲e came here believing we鈥檇 lose time in three of the first four stages, so to lose time on just one is pretty good in my opinion,鈥� Vingegaard said after he was distanced on the fast downhill to the line Tuesday.

鈥淲e thought we might lose two minutes or more, so only 50 seconds behind is quite good,鈥� Vingegaard said.

鈥淥ur time will come.鈥�

What Trajectories Will the Big 4 Follow?

There鈥檚 no doubt 鈥淪lovenian Slayer鈥� Pogacar looks well on track for his historic quest for the Giro d鈥橧talia-Tour de France double.

Imperious Pogcar is the puppet master of an armada of elite climbers.

UAE Emirates is with three riders in the top-10 with Juan Ayuso and Jo茫o Almeida behind Pogacar in third and eighth. 2023 Tour podium finisher Adam Yates isn鈥檛 much further behind.

By contrast, Visma-Lease a Bike is a shadow of Jumbo-Visma and is , Dylan Van Baarle, and Steven Kruijswijk.

Yet a largely benign second week will afford Pogacar鈥檚 Basque-battered, training-lite rivals the breathing space to ride themselves into the race, right on time for when mano-a-mano mountain battles will be just as decisive as collective team muscle.

鈥淚鈥檓 slowly getting better, I鈥檓 still here,鈥� Roglic insisted Tuesday after he was pressured on the Galibier.

The stage 7 time trial on Friday is the only true GC appointment before the mountains arrive en masse with stage 14 next weekend.

For Vingegaard, Roglic and Evenepoel, any creases in condition could be ironed out in time for when the race returns to the high peaks 鈥� although of course, there鈥檚 always the risk things get worse.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always a good thing when you finish second behind the best rider in the world,鈥� Evenepoel said Tuesday. 鈥淚t was a very good day for us. There was nothing to criticize.

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 getting better,鈥� Evenepoel said after he led the chase behind Pogacar. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 already focusing on Friday鈥檚 time trial.鈥�

Meanwhile for Pogacar, the great unknown of post-Giro d鈥橧talia fatigue shadows every passing stage.

Visma Vows to Keep swinging: “We Believe in our Plan”

In true Pogacar fashion, he started his grand tour in sixth gear and came away rewarded.

Yet he鈥檚 done similar at the Tour twice before, only to be blown away by one disaster day in the back-half of the race.

Sure, the Visma-Lease a Bike of 2024 is not the Jumbo-Visma that tore Pogacar apart in 2022 and 2023 with blitz offenses from Kuss, Roglic, and Wout van Aert.

But the 鈥淜iller Bees鈥� are promising it still has sting.

鈥淚 was doubting myself going into this Tour but it鈥檚 not like he was a lot stronger uphill,鈥� Vingegaard said after the stage Tuesday. 鈥淚 would have liked to close the gap instead of it opening. I would have liked to stay with him but that鈥檚 life.

鈥淭he Tour is long and we鈥檒l do our best,鈥� said the defending champion. 鈥淲e know what to do. We believe in our plan, like in the last two years and we鈥檒l see at the end of the Tour.鈥�

Vingegaard will need to brush away any descending demons left from his Basque crash to ensure 鈥淭he Bees鈥� have venom ahead of the mountain-packed crescendo of the Tour.

Re-measuring After the “Race of Truth”

The stage 7 time trial Friday will be a crucial measuring stick for who wears the maillot jaune聽in Nice later this month.

It鈥檚 not called 鈥渢he race of truth鈥� for nothing. There鈥檚 no better marker of physiological prowess and the ability to suffer than a lonely 25km against the clock.

Vingegaard hasn鈥檛 been able to train on the TT bike during his long comeback from injury like he would have wanted, but his history against Pogacar in grand tour time trials is telling.

Time trial world champion Evenepoel, who鈥檚 after four days of racing, could slash his 45-second deficit to Pogacar in half on Friday鈥檚 ~30 minute individual test.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 not really decided who is where [on GC],鈥� Pogacar said Tuesday after he donned his second yellow jersey of the 2024 Tour.

鈥淔or sure, you see the level a little bit,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut in three weeks some days can be better for some riders, and other days can be better for others.鈥�

How the GC looks Friday will be the best barometer of the favorites we鈥檒l get until the race hits the Pyr茅n茅es more than a week from now.

鈥淢aybe someone wasn鈥檛 feeling great or super good today,鈥� Pogacar said. 鈥淚n three weeks, things can change a lot.鈥�

It might have looked like Pogacar buried the Tour de France on Tuesday. But in reality, the race is only just getting started.

The post The Tour de France Is Not Over Yet. Pogacar Still Has a Three-Week Puzzle to Solve. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Feeding cyclists at the Tour de France involves a lot more skill than a fine palette and five-star cheffing skills. It requires master planning, fast thinking, and the endurance to survive 16-hour workdays for three consecutive weeks.

Owen Blandy, the team chef for U.S. squad , recently gave Velo a view of his job during the Tour, where he prepares meals for star riders like Neilson Powless, Rigoberto Uran, and Magnus Cort. His job is not easy, and he works long days to create culinary excellence inside a mobile food truck with temperamental water and electric hookups.

鈥淭he days are long, they鈥檙e testing, but it鈥檚 so much more rewarding than working in a restaurant. I have complete control over what I cook, and how I cook it,鈥� Blandy told Velo in Bilbao, Spain, from outside his team hotel. 鈥淚 see the world and do what I love. And I get to keep riders like Rigo and Magnus happy with what I serve 鈥� Life could be a lot worse.鈥�

Inside a WorldTour Food Truck

Cooking out of a food truck means Blandy is guaranteed a space that鈥檚 clean, hygienic, and away from the bustle of a busy hotel service. His workspace is a purpose-built 225-square-foot space that would fit into the tech-heavy kitchens of Michelin-star chefs five-times over. The Britain-born cook serves multicolor salads, grilled meats, and sweet treats from a six-ring gas range, box-size oven, and store cupboards that are packed to endure journeys over hors-categorie climbs and switchback descents.

There鈥檚 barely room to swing an omelet pan, but Blandy makes the most from his humble HQ.

鈥淚t鈥檚 simple, but it鈥檚 got basically everything I could want, and it鈥檚 not too big. It鈥檚 not difficult to clean and look after, and it鈥檚 nice to have everything at reach,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would be nice to have bigger, but I don鈥檛 really need it.鈥�

Also read:

Organization is paramount in a kitchen smaller than that found in most family homes.

Blandy showed Velo a small fridge packed out with the bare essentials, a so-called 鈥渃arb dungeon鈥� of rice packets that鈥檚 jigsaw-stacked beneath the counter, and a coffee machine carefully wedged into a convenient recess.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing all these pans stay on their hooks when I鈥檓 driving down a mountain,鈥� Blandy said, pointing out a row of metalware hanging from a rail above the range.

鈥淭hey make a lot of noise, but they don鈥檛 go anywhere,鈥� he joked.

Cook, Drive, Repeat

Blandy鈥檚 kitchen setup is simple. And that鈥檚 probably a good thing when the rest of his day is pretty complex.

The 36-year-old spends Tour de France-month in a cheffing endurance test of prepping, cooking, driving, cleaning, and planning.

Blandy only caters for EF鈥檚 riders鈥攖eam staff eat from the hotel kitchen鈥攂ut serving racers that require up to 8,000 calories a day is exhausting enough as it is.

鈥淚鈥檝e got to do five or six different restaurant jobs in one. I to do the washing up, preparing, the driving, the ordering 鈥� and I do the service as well,鈥� he said with a wry smile.

Team chefs are up there with mechanics in pulling some of the longest hours of the entire Tour de France circus.

Blandy is awake preparing his breakfast service far before his colleagues are making final tweaks to race bikes. And he鈥檚 still at his truck cleaning down after dinner when mechanics are stripping out groupsets ahead of the day鈥檚 next stage.

鈥淭he only real bit of downtime I get is driving from the start to the finish of each stage. That鈥檚 my time to reflect and plan. And I have to make the most of that time because when I arrive at the next hotel it can be busy,鈥� he said.

鈥淲hen I arrive, I immediately speak to the hotel to sort out the gas, electric, and water hookups, and unpack everything. Then almost straight away I start cooking and preparing for dinner, or pre-preparing for breakfasts for the next day.鈥�

Admin and logistics are as much a part of Blandy鈥檚 daily life as chopping, sauteeing, and serving.

鈥淚鈥檓 always having to think one day ahead, at least. I email hotels in advance to request the fresh produce I鈥檒l need, and to organize cutlery and plates,鈥� he said.

鈥淲ith the fresh produce, you always need a Plan A and a Plan B though. I always go shopping myself in case I turn up at a hotel, and they give me nothing. Or sometimes I鈥檝e been in hotels where I鈥檝e walked into the fridge, taken a look at the ingredients, and just walked straight out. It鈥檚 just not worth risking poor quality or outdated food.鈥�

Fuel and Flavor

Not long ago, riders fueled their Tours de France with over-cooked pasta and tough chicken breast. But just like the era of nine-speed groupsets and hefty aluminum frames, those days are very much resigned to history.

Blandy spoke to Velo shortly after he鈥檇 served his multi-national team a pre-grand d茅part lunch that included carrot soup, couscous with chimichurri dressing, albacore tuna, and a whole lot more.

鈥淚鈥檓 always trying to tick the boxes of flavor, nutrition, color, and presentability,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s long as I get those elements, it works. I find if I follow a Mediterranean-style of cooking 鈥� fresh vegetables, herbs, tomatoes, really nice pasta 鈥� the guys are generally happy.鈥�

While the riders are not fussy, Blandy is challenged by keeping meals interesting for riders whose potential is powered by what鈥檚 on their plates.

Blandy鈥檚 Tour de France week 1 meal plan is a mouthwatering master map that plots peach and halloumi salads, sweet potato wedges, beef filet tagliatelles, Japanese mushrooms, and chia protein puddings into a schedule that keeps riders satiated and savoring more.

鈥淚 have to serve those carbs every day, the rice and pasta. So I try to get the variety and mixtures with the soups and desserts,鈥� he said.

鈥淪ometimes, things as simple as different colors keep riders interested and wanting to eat. Soups, smoothies, juices, deserts 鈥� they鈥檙e the elements you can tinker with. I keep the fundamentals like carbs simple, but bring variety with the rest.鈥�

Career Change

Blandy has already followed his EF Education-EasyPost crew through the majority of the WorldTour calendar in a relentless schedule that keeps him away from the comforts of home.

But after pivoting away from a career in finance in his early 30s to pursue his culinary passions, cooking carbs remains far more palatable than crunching numbers.

鈥淚 love traveling and seeing the world, and we see some of the most beautiful parts of Europe doing this,鈥� he said.

鈥淲hen I started the job, I had a romantic idea of visiting farmer鈥檚 markets and local bakeries, but there鈥檚 no time really. But the work is varied, challenging, and satisfying. And I just like looking after people 鈥� I like being there for the riders. It feels a privilege to cook for them.鈥�

Blandy is cheffing his eighth-straight grand tour at this Tour de France. In that time, he鈥檚 become as crucial as the mechanics, masseuses, and soigneurs that keep EF Education鈥揈asyPost moving.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 enjoy working in restaurants because you often don鈥檛 get to see the end product and who you鈥檙e serving 鈥撀� you鈥檙e stuck at the back,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith this, you interact with the riders, you feel their appreciation.鈥�

The post A Day in the Life of a Tour de France Team Chef appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Tour de France is no ordinary bike race.

Riders dream about it, Netflix makes shows about it, and the winner鈥檚 yellow jersey聽 is one of the most famous prizes in international sports.

And just like the Tour de France is a ride like no other, the way in which cyclists train for for the race is different than how they prepare for other big events like Paris-Roubaix or the Olympics. Cyclists getting ready to ride a grand tour鈥攁 three-week race鈥攆ollow a master preparation plan that relies heavily on high-altitude camps, targeted racing, and rest in order to hit their respective physical peak.聽 Experts from various corners of sports science guide these riders and teams for months before the event. The goal is to help a top rider, like last year鈥檚 winner Jonas Vingegaard of Team Jumbo-Visma, unlock his physical potential during the race.

鈥淛onas knew his Tour de France training schedule nine months ago,鈥� Jumbo-Visma head of performance Mathieu Heijboer told 国产吃瓜黑料 on the eve of the 2023 Tour. 鈥淣ot the exact sessions, but he knew almost exactly would he鈥檇 be racing, resting, training to peak. In some cases he even had an idea what he鈥檇 be eating.鈥�

Also read:

We recently spoke to directors and coaches from several Tour de France squads to better understand the modern philosophies and training structures that riders follow before the race. They shed light on some of the most fundamental鈥攁nd the most finicky鈥攅lements of a rider鈥檚 Tour training plan.

A High-Altitude Arms Race

One of the most labor-intensive and expensive elements of any team鈥檚 Tour preparation comes in the planning and execution of a series of training camps performed at high altitude. These camps allow riders to pedal long and steady miles at low intensities early in the season to build their aerobic base prior to the season鈥檚 start in late February. They typically last anywhere from two weeks to a month.

Once seen as a luxury for only the richest teams, these camps, which are often held at elevations above 6,000 feet, have become a required cornerstone for most Tour teams and riders. The age-old philosophy of 鈥渓iving high and training low鈥� helps a rider boost blood cell count and max out the oxygen-carrying capacity.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been going to altitude a very long time, and I think we鈥檙e close to finding a winning formula every time. And we鈥檝e seen it works for Jonas,鈥� Heijboer said. 鈥淭o be able to get to perform at the highest level in the races we want, we can come very close with altitude training.鈥�

But there鈥檚 a hurdle standing between teams and high-altitude destinations. In January and February, the mountain resorts in the Alps and Pyrenees are socked in with snow. So, teams must look to warmer climates to find training destinations. In recent years, many have booked rooms at empty ski lodges in southern Spain鈥檚 Sierra Nevada mountains, or on the slops of 12,188-foot Mount Teide, a soaring volcano on the Canary Islands. But there鈥檚 another problem: there are often more riders than available rooms at these destinations. During January and February, perhaps a half dozen squads will decamp to these destinations, so squads must book their rooms sometimes multiple years in advance.

The race for rooms at thin air shows how training at altitude is becoming more important with every passing season.

Get altitude training right and riders could boost threshold power by as much as five percent. Get it wrong, they might be burned out and used up before they even see the pre-Tour presentation ceremony.

鈥淲e know that altitude works, that鈥檚 why we put more and more focus there. But you have to do it right to make it really work,鈥� Quick-Step coach Vasilis Anastopoulos said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e learning more and more how to do it.鈥�

Just like any training program, an altitude framework requires a slow steady accumulation of gain. So, riders don鈥檛 just do one camp at altitude, but rather multiple stops before the Tour. During a typical season, a Tour de France star rider may complete three or even four high-altitude camps prior to the race. They structure these camps between blocks of racing at one-day races, like Belgium鈥檚 Li猫ge-Bastogne-Li猫ge, or one-week races like France鈥檚 Paris-Nice.

鈥淵ou need repeat altitude camps for the ideal effect. A camp earlier in the season can act as a primer and make the adaptation in the second camp more effective,鈥� UAE Emirates performance co-ordinator Jeroen Swart told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淏ut that has to be countered with the fatigue that can happen from being at altitude for too long.鈥�

Some riders continue the steady and long training rides throughout the season. Scroll through any Tour rider鈥檚 Strava account and you will see just how much time is invested into building out the low-intensity foundations. Belgian star Wout van Aert鈥檚 feed from May shows repeat seven-hour rides out of the Sierra Nevada as he stacks up training weeks of up to 30 hours. American rider Matteo Jorgenson, French star Romain Bardet, and British rider Fred Wright also regularly pedal 400 or so miles per week before the Tour.

Races That Strengthen Legs

You can鈥檛 just train your way to the Tour de France鈥攔iders must also race before starting the big event. The back-to-back training weeks at altitude help riders build an endurance base required to survive the three-week Tour de France. But the races in the lead up to the Tour help these riders become accustomed to the ebb and flow of competition.

Major one-week stage races like France鈥檚 Paris-Nice, held in March, and France鈥檚 Crit茅rium du Dauphin茅 and Switzlerland鈥檚 Tour de Suisse (both held in June) are important preparation races for any rider hoping to be competitive at the Tour.

鈥淭he only thing you cannot mimic at altitude is the nervousness in the peloton and the accelerations, etc,鈥� Jumbo-Visma trainer Heijboer said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 almost becoming the main reason we send riders to many of the races. Before, like when I was a pro, those races would be the training.鈥�

Weeklong races offer big saddle time, a dose of intensity, and for some riders, a chance at grabbing a confidence-boosting win. Plus, riders can master important racing skills like navigating the peloton and avoiding crashes that cannot be reproduced in training. This year, defending Tour champ Vingegaard has used these races to build his form and boost his confidence. In April he won Spain鈥檚 Tour of the Basque Country, a mountainous six-day stage race. Then in June, he won two stages and the overall at the Crit茅rium du Dauphin茅 in France.

But after the races and some short rest days, riders like Vingegaard again head for the thin air for their final pre-Tour training sessions at altitude.聽 Vingegaard and his Jumbo-Visma teammates will spend the final days before the2023 Tour聽 at the ski resort Tignes in the French Alps. Two-time Tour winnner Tadej Poga膷ar and his UAE-Team Emirates squad will be a few valleys away in the Italian resort village of Sestriere.

鈥淭raining at altitude tends to boost hemoglobin around two or two and a half weeks. So it means that we do have to do a final 鈥榯op-up鈥� camp of volume and intensity in the weeks prior to the Tour,鈥� Swart said. 鈥淲e work the racing schedule around that concept.鈥�

No Such Thing as a Taper

As Swart alluded to above, a Tour de France rider鈥檚 training volume doesn鈥檛 drop, even the week before rollout. They do not taper off, but rather keep the miles big. Riders preparing for one-day events like the Olympics or the world championships often drop their training loads significantly prior to the race. But for the Tour, the mileage stays high.

鈥淲e never drop out the volume sessions, even near the Tour they stay important,鈥� Swart continued. 鈥淭hink about it. Those last sessions before the Tour, they鈥檙e still a month from the third week of the race, and that鈥檚 typically where the most important stages are. You need to keep volume high the whole way, so the base is there for the final stages of racing.鈥�

Marathoners or riders aiming at Olympic or world championship medals typically progress through a seven-to-10-day taper in advance of their A-race. Volume is decreased but intensity maintained, meaning athletes toe the start line fresh and at their peak. Not so for most Tour riders. The only exception are the sprinters who target stage wins early in the race. They may drop the volume by a few miles to rest their legs.

鈥淚n an endurance training program, volume is something you will never take out. We make sure they鈥檙e recovered and have the energy reserves, but in some stages, the low intensity in the peloton means there can be a slight 鈥榙etraining.鈥� Limiting a taper means you maintain the training adaptations,鈥� UAE鈥檚 Swart said.

A Three-Week Peak

In recent years, organizers of the Tour de France and other three-week grand tours have shifted the racing format. This has forced riders to try and maintain a physical peak for the entire race.

In past generations, the Tour often opened with a steady first week of flat stages that catered to the sprinters. GC stars like Vingegaard could stay hidden in the peloton and use the flat stages to build some final aerobic fitness for the mountainous stages in the second and third weeks. British rider Chris Froome, winner of four Tours de France, followed this exact framework to win the 2018 Giro d鈥橧talia. Froome started race still hunting for fitness and used the opening week to build his strength before attacking in the final week to take the overall victory.

That doesn鈥檛 work anymore. In recent years, Tour organizers have included mountains and summit finishes in week one as a way to test the GC stars early. The 2023 Tour de France is no exception.

This year the Tour has nine consecutive stages before the first rest day on July 10. Of those nine stages, three are classified as 鈥渉illy鈥� routes and three others are categorized as 鈥渕ountainous.鈥澛� Stage nine finishes with the steep climb to Puy De D么me in the Pyrenees. Vingegaard and Poga膷ar will need to be fit early if they want to compete.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 course makes planning the training and peak more complicated,鈥� Jumbo-Visma鈥檚 Heijboer said. 鈥淭hey need you need to be at a very high level from the beginning, all through to the end.鈥�

Despite all of this planning and preparation, trainers and riders still say that preparing for the Tour includes plenty of luck and chance. Each rider鈥檚 body reacts differently to training programs, and there are unpredictable factors like sickness, crashes, and motivation that can also impact a rider鈥檚 progress in the Tour. So, while these teams may spend big bucks trying to get every detail right, the coaches know that the Tour is unpredictable and surprising鈥攖hat鈥檚 what makes it so fun to follow.

鈥滲ut there鈥檚 only so much we can do based on our own knowledge and experience of the rider,鈥� Swart said. 鈥淭raining athletes is not an exact science. There鈥檚 a lot of nuance. There are often unpredictable factors that you can鈥檛 measure.鈥�

The post Tour de France Cyclists Head into Thin Air to Prepare for the Race appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This article was originally published in .

What does it take to fuel three weeks of racing the聽?

Mountains of rice, fistfuls of energy gels, and plates pitifully short of vegetables, that鈥檚 what it takes.

The 21 stages of this year鈥檚 Tour de France could see riders like聽听补苍诲听聽pedal through up 80,000 calories-worth of work.

Add to that the metabolic demands of breathing, digesting, and the rest of the body鈥檚 basic functions, and riders are constantly chasing for a break-even level of energy.

The only way to keep on keel?

Mammoth menus and a fast-flowing stream of carbs.

鈥淭hese guys look skinny, and they鈥檙e tiny when you see them for real. But they sure know how to eat. They have huge appetites,鈥� EF Education-EasyPost nutritionist Will Girling told聽Velo.

鈥楻iders Eat a Lot of Rice 鈥� Like, Kilos of it鈥�

When they鈥檙e not pedaling or sleeping, riders are probably eating 鈥� and it鈥檚 most likely to be carbohydrates on their plate.

Carbs are the endurance kings of macronutrients, with basic staples like rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread the jewels in their crown.

They鈥檙e the energy-giving fuels that power bunch sprints and drive mountaintop victories.

And in the modern pro peloton, rice is increasingly becoming the carbohydrate of choice.

鈥淩iders eat a lot of rice 鈥� like, kilos of it. It鈥檚 sort of boring, but it works,鈥� Trek-Segafredo chef Bram Lippens told聽Velo. 鈥淲e add sauces like tomato or pesto to keep it interesting, but it is essentially still just rice!鈥�

A rider is never far from their next meal when at a grand tour.

Around three hours before a stage, riders will scarf down a breakfast banquet of rice, eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, and toast.

When riding through stages that can burn as many as 5,000 calories, legs are kept turning via carb-laden drinks, energy gels, bars, and team-made rice cakes. The demands of modern racing require riders to eat as often as three to four times per hour in what is an open pipeline of fuel.

And once a stage is done, a carb-based snack and recovery shake act as a mere stopover before another gut-busting meal in the evening.

The nighttime feast makes for a starchy double-serve that both boosts recovery from the day鈥檚 stage and refuels for the rigors to come.

鈥淭he night before a big race or stage we keep it simple with maybe chicken and rice, or salmon and rice,鈥� Girling said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nearly always white rice we serve, because it鈥檚 so easy to consume and it鈥檚 low fiber.鈥�

The rice-rich diet of the modern Tour de France rider defies the belief that the peloton pedals on pasta.

鈥淩ice is more energy dense than pasta. So for the same volume, you got more carbohydrate from rice. Plus it鈥檚 gluten-free. So theoretically it鈥檚 more digestible than pasta,鈥� Jayco-AlUla nutritionist Laura Martinelli told聽Velo.

鈥淧asta is OK if it鈥檚 the correct type and cooked properly, and we don鈥檛 stop riders from eating it. But if I had to recommend one or the other I鈥檇 100 percent always say rice.鈥�

High Energy, Locally Sourced

The entourage of any pro team has expanded exponentially in recent decades.

In-house nutritionists and chefs like Martinelli, Girling, and Lippens are now as common as the soigneurs, mechanics, and masseuses that have long had their seats in a grand tour team bus.

Jayco-AlUla staffer Martinelli oversees the diets of Tour-bound riders like Simon Yates, Dylan Groenegen, and U.S. all-rounder Lawson Craddock.

One of Martinelli鈥檚 daily on-race functions is to plan out what each individual needs to eat, based on the demands of the stage to come. Bodyweights and expected expenditures make part of a series of calculations that ensure riders match the huge energy output of the Tour de France with a similarly staggering caloric input.

For a relatively straightforward sprint stage like this year鈥檚 seventh stage into Bordeaux, Martinelli鈥檚 riders would be tasked with taking down around five grams of carbohydrate per kilo of bodyweight.

For the kingmaker mountain stages through the Pyr茅n茅es and the Alps, that multiplies up to almost beyond-belief bucketloads of carb. On the Tour鈥檚 toughest days, a rider like Craddock might force down up to 18 grams of carbs per kilo of his mass.

At around 69 kilograms (152 pounds), the Texan would be facing more than 1,200 grams of carbohydrate over the course of a day鈥檚 meals, shakes, and on-bike nutrition.

For context, that鈥檚 the equivalent of around four kilos of prepared white rice or a similar amount of white pasta.

鈥淭oward the final week when there are more big days in the mountains and riders are getting more tired, eating so much can become more difficult,鈥� Martinelli said.

鈥淲e try to make things easier by preparing energy-dense food and minimizing the total volume. So we choose the most carb-rich sources we have and use carb drinks and smoothies. When a rider is fatigued, they typically find it easier to drink than to eat.”

Professional chefs like Trek-Segafredo鈥檚 Lippens work out of kitchen trucks or hotel facilities to prepare menus that would be worthy of a five-star restaurant.

Meat, fish, and vegetables freshly sourced from local shops and markets come together with a deep traveling storecupboard to create meals that are about a lot more than just fuel.

鈥淲hen they鈥檙e eating so much, we need to maximize the flavors we serve and keep it quite varied. But it needs to be simple at the same time,鈥� Lippens said. 鈥淪ome things like the carbs, we have to serve. But we try to change the sauces, chicken, salmon, whatever as much as we can or riders will lose interest.鈥�

The Question of 鈥榃atts Per Kilo鈥�

A healthy racer who鈥檚 following an appropriate meal plan should have both the fuel to recover from the past stages, and the energy to power the days to come, all the while keeping a steady bodyweight.

Riders check their weight on a daily basis and report back to staffers to ensure they鈥檙e on a level.

Although the watts-per-kilo equation is crucial for climbing speed, lost mass comes at the risk of muscle wastage or hormonal malfunction.

As with sports like running and gymnastics, body mass is a big metric in the pro peloton. And in an environment where disordered behaviors could easily become commonplace, teams use weigh-ins to ensure riders aren鈥檛 toying with long-term health problems.

鈥淲e always would prefer they eat a little more than a little less, within reason,鈥� Martinelli said.

Intriguingly, some riders finish a three-week race like the Tour de France heavier than they started.

Younger riders or grand tour rookies might mistakenly over-fuel for fear of getting dropped. Others report water retention resulting from long days of travel or the impact of glycogen storage.

鈥淎 bigger rider can gain two to three kilos in water weight, very quickly,鈥� Martinelli said. 鈥淲e can manage that by changing the distribution of when in the day they eat carbohydrates. That should manage their insulin response and prevent more fluids. But it鈥檚 difficult to get perfect.鈥�

Carbohydrate isn鈥檛 the only thing carefully monitored in the Tour de France diet.

Protein intake is supercharged to help maintain muscle mass and to speed post-race recovery; healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, and nuts are a must-have due to their contribution to hormonal health and vitamin absorption.

There is one food group that does take a hit however.

Fiber is drastically reduced on hard mountain stages or days expected to be particularly intense, such as this Tour鈥檚 climb-filled聽grand d茅part.

The so-called 鈥渓ow G.I. protocol鈥� ensures riders take the next day鈥檚 start line with empty stomachs and low water weight.

鈥淏efore all hard and heavy races, they skip salads and almost all the raw fruits and vegetables,鈥� chef Lippens said. 鈥淚 may put out a few veggies, like just one or two pieces of broccoli. They basically eat like teenagers.鈥�

The Booze, Burgers, and Brownies of Balance

However, the daily diet of a Tour de France racer isn鈥檛 all carefully calculated carbohydrate quantities and the leanest cuts of meat.

Staffers appreciate the need for balance.

Desserts like brownies, cheesecakes, and fruit tarts are served daily, and the night before a rest day will see teams allow riders to let off some nutritional steam. Barbecues, or homemade pizzas, burgers, or lasagna are cited as the most-frequent pre-rest-day treats served to the multinational peloton.

And, of course, victories are celebrated with something a little more appetizing than another carb drink or high-vitamin shake.

鈥淲e鈥檙e lucky at Jayco-AlUla,鈥� Martinelli said. 鈥淥ur owner [Jerry Ryan] owns amazing wineries in Australia, so we always have good wine with us.

鈥淲e mainly have red, but sometimes white. The guys only get one glass, but it鈥檚 better to have one very good glass rather than a whole bottle of a bad one. The occasional glass 鈥� that鈥檚 recovery for the mind!鈥�

The post Fueling the Tour de France: Inside a Grand Tour Rider鈥檚 Gut-Buster Diet appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Strava said sorry.

The activity-tracking behemoth responded to criticism with an official statement that sought to douse the flames caused by a that left some users feeling confused.

鈥淥ur intention was not to hide these pricing changes, we just moved too fast,鈥� read the note.

The past month saw social media simmering with bad vibes when the popular platform increased prices for its premium subscription. Fees were upped by anywhere between 15 and 70 percent, depending on a user鈥檚 region, billing type, and date of signup. Confirmation of new charges was hard to find. 鈥淲e updated our subscription pricing. Our messaging was very confusing. So we鈥檙e providing more clarity,鈥� read the statement on the Strava website.

鈥淚n an effort to roll out pricing updates for our subscription, we made a mistake by not providing enough information directly to our community,鈥� the statement continued. 鈥淲e sincerely apologize for the confusion and concern this has caused many of our valued subscribers. Our intention was not to hide these pricing changes, we just moved too fast. We also missed the opportunity to inform long-standing monthly subscribers that, by shifting from paying monthly to annual, they can avoid a significant price increase altogether.鈥�

Strava went on to confirm it is moving to consistent pricing by country, meaning all users in one nation will pay the same monthly or annual price. Fees were previously determined by when a user signed up for the premium service. An updated pricing page was also added to the desktop and mobile app.

鈥淪trava is fully committed to our community,鈥� continued the note. 鈥淭his commitment means not allowing our subscribers to receive an automated email about changing subscription costs, or to read or hear about price change confusion elsewhere as that鈥檚 unacceptable.

鈥淲e hear and understand your frustration, and we aim here to make subscription rates clear to our community.鈥�

The California-based Strava is reported to service some 100 million users. The recent round of billing hikes was the first since 2009, a 13-year period that saw services exponentially increase, with regular updates to training, mapping, and privacy features.

Strava will no doubt be hoping to have doused the flames after what has been a tricky few months for the training app monolith. The company is reported to have laid off around 40 staff鈥�15 percent of total workforce 鈥� late last year.

Here鈥檚 the full statement.

The post Strava Apologizes for Its Recent Price Hike appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

delivered big for Canada and for his family on stage 16 of the on Tuesday.

Houle, 31 claimed Canada its first Tour stage win since 1988, when Steve Bauer won the opening road stage of the race.

The victory on Tuesday also marked a career milestone for Houle, who rides for the Israel Premier Tech squad.

鈥淚 never won a race, so I guess it鈥檚 the right place to win my first race,鈥� Houle said shortly after the finish.

The team branched from its Israeli roots earlier this year when Canadian company Premier Tech joined the team as co-sponsor. The move added Canadian riders and staff to the squad, among them Bauer himself, who joined as a sport director. Houle was another new face on the team, having joined from Astana in the offseason.

鈥淚t鈥檚 quite crazy. We have more and more Canadians on the WorldTour thanks to our team and Premier Tech and Premier Tech development team. We鈥檙e working to have the next generation,鈥� Houle said.

鈥淚 think what I achieved today can be an inspiration of what is possible.鈥�

Hoods scored the dramatic victory after attacking into the early breakaway during the 110-mile stage from Carcassonne to Foix. He was joined by his teammate and compatriot Michael Woods, who looked to be the team鈥檚 ace for the mountainous stage. The route finished with two brutal ascents: the Port de Lers and Mur de P茅gu猫re at the foot of the Pyrenees.

鈥淭he plan was to have me and Woods in the breakaway if we could,鈥� Houle said. 鈥淚n theory, Michael should be the guy who is the strongest in that climb.鈥�

Houle appeared to be the decoy rider for Woods, whose strength on climbs made him a danger man in the breakaway. So, on the final climb, Houle bolted off the front in an attempt to force other riders to chase. When those other riders allowed Houle to ride away, victory became a reality for the Canadian.

鈥淎t the end, we played the strategy I had in going ahead just to take off some pressure on Mike so he can sit on and follow,鈥� Houle said. 鈥淚n the end it turned out I stayed away, so Mike was just surfing behind.鈥�

Houle crested the final climb with a 25-second advantage on four chasers: American Matteo Jorgenson, Vanlentin Madouas of France, Michael Storer of Australia, and Woods. After Jorgenson crashed on the descent, the gap only grew on the downhill. Houle crossed the line in downtown Foix with his hands in the air, and a look of extreme emotion on his face.

鈥淭his Is For My Brother鈥�

It was perhaps fitting Houle had the winning legs鈥攖he win and saw him come good on his vow to win a Tour stage for his brother, Pierre, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2012. Last year, reporter Sadhbh O鈥橲hea of聽VeloNews about his family tragedy, and how the loss of Pierre had fueled his ambitions in pro cycling.

In that interview, Houle spoke of the Tour鈥檚 connection to his family and to Pierre. As boys growing up in rural Quebec, they watched the race on television every summer.

鈥淪o, in July we watched the Tour de France and we had that entire morning looking at the race and he never had the chance to come to Europe,鈥� Houle said. 鈥淎nd to me, that is quite bad that he could not see this and everything.鈥�

Houle told聽VeloNews in 2021 that his lifelong dream would be to win a Tour de France stage and dedicate it to Pierre. He did just that after crossing the line on Tuesday.

鈥淭his is for my brother, who died when I turned professional,鈥� Houle told reporters, choking back tears. 鈥淚 worked ten to 12 years to get the win for him. I do not know what to say. I am so happy.鈥�

Houle crossed the line with his finger pointed direct to the sky in a striking visual scene.

鈥淥f course when things like this happen in life, it takes a few months to move on, move forward,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat was my motivation, to win for my little brother. Today I did it. I never won anything in my life as a professional and today I won in the Tour in a crazy way.鈥�

Houle鈥檚 solo victory and Woods鈥� rise to the podium continue a marquee Tour for Israel Premier Tech.

Stage victory for Houle and Simon Clarke, and third place finishes for Houle, Woods, and Chris Froome gives the team a WorldTour points prize pot that will prove crucial as it fights for survival in the 2022 relegation season.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not every day you can have the chance to win. When it comes you have to go all in. That鈥檚 what I did,鈥� Houle said Tuesday afternoon.

The post This Cyclist Dedicated His Tour de France Stage Win to His Late Brother appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This article was first published by .

Weeks-long training camps held at high altitude are now the norm, and riders spend less time racing than they did in previous generations. This model helps Tour riders like and achieve their optimal fitness. Previously, riders used to starve themselves in order to hit race weight. Now, nutritional strategies follow a 鈥渕ore-is-more鈥� mindset. The fear of peaking too soon鈥攁chieving top fitness prior to the race鈥攊s a thing of the past.

On the eve of this year鈥檚 race, officials from Dutch team Jumbo-Visma gave VeloNews a peek at their pre-Tour de France training regimen. The team鈥檚 captains Rogli膷, Wout van Aert and had recently demolished the WorldTour peloton at France鈥檚 Criterium du Dauphin茅, the weeklong Tour warm-up race.

鈥淲e are very very happy with their shape and how their form is at the moment,鈥� team performance director Mathieu Heijboer told VeloNews after the Crit茅rium du Dauphin茅.

They achieved this winning form after following a training regimen that bucked the trend of cycling鈥檚 traditional preparation philosophies, Heijboer said.

鈥淎s you could see at the Daupin茅, Primoz, Wout and Jonas are very good. And those guys are feeling recovered already. The program and training we scheduled definitely seem to be paying off, and going on track,鈥� he said.

Also read:

Jumbo-Visma鈥檚 Tour de France route map reveals a lot about how the road to the world鈥檚 biggest race evolved over recent decades. Here鈥檚 why:

Train More, Race Less

Some fundamentals of modern-day training plans haven鈥檛 changed from the old ways, and never will.

鈥淥ne of the key aspects of winning the Tour de France is having a good and consistent training block over a very long period, months,鈥� Heijboer said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the foundation, the most important part.”

Riders complete consistent training blocks in which they ride 30 hours a week鈥攐r more鈥攄uring the early months of the season. Riders complete multiple rounds of these blocks before taking in a one-week rest prior to early races.

Roglic and Pogacar don鈥檛 publish much of their data. But Jumbo-Visma鈥檚 American rider does. Kuss completed weekly blocks that ramp from 15 to 25 hours before a race in a template that鈥檚 become a no-brainer over dozens of years.

But what is very different from years ago is the priority of training over actual racing.

Not so long ago, Tour contenders would compete in multiple stage races and one-day events through the spring and early summer to hone their fitness. Now, many Tour riders like Kuss, Rogli膷, and Poga膷ar skip the constant racing and instead go off-grid for weeks in high-altitude training camps.

At these camps, their workouts are prescribed with laser precision to replicate racing efforts to the watt.

鈥淲e all do different efforts when we鈥檙e on camp,鈥� Kuss told VeloNews after he returned from Sierra Nevada, Spain, in June.

鈥淲e have different guys with different goals and different roles, so training is pretty varied between riders. There’s some pretty specific intervals for all of us.鈥�

Also read:

Dodging elbows and potholes in a race is dangerous. In previous years, Tour riders have crashed early and been sidelined by injuries. Today, some riders avoid those dangers as much as possible.

Kuss took in seven days of racing at Italy鈥檚 Tirreno-Adriatico in the late Spring. The fitness boost he got from that race set him up for his training push for the Tour de France. Prior to the Tour de France, Kuss had completed 27 total days of racing. Compare that to the 2012 racing schedule of another climbing domestique, Irishman Nicolas Roche, who notched 46 days of racing prior to that year鈥檚 Tour.

Roglic, Pogacar, and other GC racers are similarly selective about when they race.

鈥淲e always incorporate enough time to train, especially for the GC riders. On the other hand, it鈥檚 also important to be racing, to get the feeling of the peloton and the need to be competitive,” Heijboer said.

鈥淏ut we always keep in mind there’s enough time to train for a rider like Primoz, that鈥檚 almost priority. And that’s why his race program is quite limited when you compare it to riders a decade ago,鈥� he added.

Roglic completed 26 race days prior to the Tour. Pogacar was at 24. Those numbers would have been bigger not so long ago. Prior to the 2010 Tour de France, Alberto Contador of Spain raced 37 days.

鈥淏eing able to train consistently is key as a GC guy,鈥� Heijboer said. 鈥淚t means we can get them to a high level and able to recover from the training. Then they can improve from racing at certain points instead of losing form from racing too much.鈥�

Altitude, Altitude, Altitude

It鈥檚 not just about accumulation and consistency on the training bike. It鈥檚 also amassing about time at thin air.

Prior to the Tour, Jumbo-Visma鈥檚 Tour team hunkered down in the French ski resort town of Tignes, which is at 5,938 feet above sea level, for their third high-altitude training camp of the year.

鈥淭he timing of altitude is an important part of the program but also the accumulation of altitude,鈥� Heijboer said.

鈥淲e send riders likely to do the Tour de France to altitude in February not only to prepare the spring races, it鈥檚 also to build some altitude into the beginning of the season. Then they accumulate more and more time at altitude during the year. It’s about building the adaption.鈥�

Jumbo-Visma’s Tour crew then traveled from the French ski resort to the race鈥檚 opening stages in Copenhagen just days before the race. The late arrival, Heijboer said, helped them overcome the hungover feeling that some riders suffer when returning to sea level from the mountains.

鈥淭here are some riders who we know of that have some bad days after altitude. But since we have now so much experience with all the riders because they have been to altitude so many times, we know well when they might have a bad day and if they have a bad day at all,” Heijboer said.

鈥淭he altitude window is a good excuse they use when they have shit legs I think. We see most riders being very strong straight after altitude [without sea-level adaption time],鈥� he added.

Bigger Dinner Plates Are Better Dinner Plates

And the thorny issue of race weight鈥攖he era of going to bed hungry in order to shed pounds is no longer a thing.

Power is the kingmaker of the watts-per-kilogram equation鈥攁 formula that determines a rider鈥檚 overall speed鈥攁nd today, racers eat more food than they did a decade ago, but under the watchful eye of nutritionists.

鈥淭owards the Tour de France, we are trying to reach an optimal race weight. But most important is optimal nutrition and hydration in training so that the effect of training is maximized, and so the recovery after training is maximized. That lets riders train and race consistently,鈥� Heijboer said. 鈥淥f course race weight is important and we are focused on that. But we prioritize the right nutrition at the right time so they can be best.鈥�

Also read:

Fed riders are healthy riders, Heijboer said. An extra 500 grams can make the difference between the Paris podium, and illness and overuse injuries.

鈥淏eing 100 percent focused on losing weight is a big threat for mental well-being. And if that鈥檚 harmed, you certainly don鈥檛 have a good rider and performance,鈥� Heijboer added. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 always in our mind.鈥�

Peaking Too Soon? Nah.

Are Jumbo-Visma officials worried that Roglic, Vingegaard, and Van Aert are getting too fast too soon?

Four-time Tour winner Chris Froome famously started the 2018 Giro d鈥橧talia out of shape and overweight. Team Sky profiled the stages and mapped out Froome鈥檚 wattage output to see weight loss and performance gains through a three-week period that took Froome to the pink jersey.

So, should riders go into the Tour still searching for form? Screw that, says Heijboer.

鈥淚 don’t believe that you can be too good too early. I think peaking and growing to a shape is also a mental thing. And although we raced to win in the Dauphin茅, we always kept the Tour in mind. So we still know there’s a bigger goal ahead of us,鈥� he said.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure that Jonas and also the other guys can at least maintain but probably improve their level.鈥�

Heijboer鈥檚 hypothesis will be put to the test as the Tour de France enters the Alps this coming week.

The post Training for the Tour de France Isn鈥檛 What It Used to Be. Here鈥檚 Why. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.