Fasted and controlled carbohydrate training is getting increasing amounts of attention. There are suggestion that these protocols could even remodel muscle in favour of using fat as a fuel. Explore what the scientific evidence has to say, how pro cycling teams are using these approaches and what we could learn to enhance our performance in practise.Im now a Sports Scientist and Performance Coach, but 12 years ago I was pursuing my own cycling ambitions and had recently moved to France to race with an Elite amateur team. I was also a Pez contributor, providing an insight into the world of an aspiring pro with my Bloke In France features: The cycling world looked quite different then and the sports approach to nutrition was no exception. Relying heavily on folklore and received wisdom, training rides and Pez feature-writing alike were fuelled by steaming bowls of pasta and little else. Thankfully, times are changing and many teams now apply a wealth of scientific research to support riders health and improve their performance.What Is The Objective Of Nutrition In Pro Cycling?During last years World Congress of Cycling Science, Team Skys Head of Nutrition, Nigel Mitchell, stated that his aim was to help his riders become:Highly functional athletes, with low body mass, who can recover on a daily basis. 10Ultimately, the training and nutrition of a competitive cyclist should result in the rider:Losing weight to achieve an optimal power:weight ratio whilst preserving lean body mass and health.Becoming more efficient at using fat as a...
View the full article
View the full article
