Consciously increasing carbohydrate intake is also known as "carb loading": a well-known phenomenon in pro cycling. That way you'll replenish your glycogen stores to the maximum, and you'll reduce the chances of not having enough energy available during your ride later on. If you know a long effort is on the menu, it's smart to be intentional about carbohydrate intake the days before. Because without pasta, the engine can't run! True, but it's okay to start a little earlier. It's a classic image: cyclists eating an overflowing plate of spaghetti the night before an important ride. To make it even more efficient, you can also send this plan to your Garmin. The app then calculates for you the most optimal nutrition plan during your ride. With the app EatMyRide, for example, you enter your distance or route and indicate what you like to eat and drink. It gives you quick insights that you can use to optimize your own performance. A nutrition app might make things a little easier for you. But if you're training for a gran fondo, or want to ride races, it's definitely worth it. ![]() ![]() Not every cyclist will be eager to plan and track their daily diet. The only thing you can do then is to continue riding at low intensity, because at that intensity you burn mostly fats. If you start doing that too late, or you take too little, you will run into the man with the hammer. So, the moment you plan to ride hard for more than two hours, you will have to eat extra carbohydrates to maintain that supply in the body. As the intensity increases, the proportion of carbohydrates grows. If you ride slowly, fats are the dominant energy source. The ratio of fat to carbohydrates as an energy source varies. Fortunately, while cycling, your body also draws energy from body fats. The more trained you are, the better you are able to store glycogen. ![]() Our body's carbohydrate/glycogen storage capacity is limited: there is only room for an intense ride of about an hour and a half. This depletes the glycogen stores in your muscles and liver, draining the energy from your body. The cause? You ate or drank too little or too late enough carbohydrates. Most cyclists will have experienced hunger knocks at one time or another. In this article, we give you helpful tips for completing a gran fondo in the best possible way. The right nutrition is essential for optimal performance on the bike. How you replenish that energy can make all the difference. During such a long ride you burn a lot of calories, which have to be replenished. How do you make sure you always have enough energy to reach the finish line or, who knows, even the podium? No, you don't just do a long tour or gran fondo. What do you eat before, during and after a tough race?Ī gran fondo is not only tough for your legs, but also for your energy levels.
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