Shunning the cake stop while trying nutrition strategies

Whether you are training for an event, wanting to get leaner or simply want to take your turn pulling on the front on the local club rides, nutrition plays a crucial role in maximising your performance. The longer weekend rides give you a chance to experiment with various nutrition strategies to find out exactly what works best for you and your specific riding.

Whatever your overall focus, it’s important to try to replicate this as closely as possible during your weekend rides. If you have a sportive planned then you know that a regular cake stop en-route may not be the smartest option since your cafe menu selection will unlikely be available at the feed station. By swapping the coffee stop for ‘on the bike’ food, you can start you understand what food, bars and gels work with your system.

With a bit of added focus you can use these longer rides to note when energy levels may start to dip and how long it takes for your nutrition to get you back on the right track. The same goes for hydration. By trialling which energy drink you can handle after several hours from a taste and performance point of view you are giving your body the valuable nutritional needs that will get you through your event without chancing anything new on the day.