alimentation

Nutrition

For the quicker riders … 50 hours

With the effort being intense and sustained, and with only a few brief stops, feeding must be easily and quickly taken in. The energy meals ( for example rapid drink 'Form', energy food 'Turbodiet', …..), these contain slow acting glucids and lipids easily absorbed, or even the proteins found in complete foods entirely replacing a proper meal … less the pleasure!
Do not confuse these liquid meals with energetic drinks which contain exclusively quick acting glucides and are rapidly absorbed into the body. These drinks are useful in an emergency or to help prevent dehydration.

And for the others …80 hours

With a longer time allowance for the cyclos, the more time that can be spent at the stops. He can therefore eat more normal food, based upon slow acting glucides : semolina, rice, pastas and potatoes.
Before a cold or damp night during which you ride at a moderate speed, a meal containing slow acting glucids and lipids (sausage and chips for example) is required. The moderate intensity of the effort allows the organism the time to transform the molecules of fat into sugars which can be absorbed by the muscles.

A bit of advise

As the controls are at intervals of approximately 90 kms., the opportunity should be taken to consume solid food and hot drinks at each stop.
Depending on the temperature, two or three bottles should be carried to be drunk between the controls.
One bottle should contain a preparation of slow acting glucids (ex : blédine), the others containing energetic drinks containing quick acting glucids (ex : tea with honey).
Cereal bars or home made products (bread and jam, honey, chocolate, rice cake, …) are an essential addition for the faster riders.
It is advisable however to avoid red meat as it contains uric acid, which would only add to that accumulating in the muscles due to the effort being provided.