THE ENERGY PLAN ENERGY FOR SUCCEEDING THE STAGES

When you have set yourself a dedicated cycling goal, it is of course important to prepare properly, but without the right intake of food, drink and energy during training and during the goal itself, it can be problematic to achieve.

We will therefore briefly describe some of the key-points we believe are important in order to perform optimally during CYKELNERVEN 2023.

Energy

As you most likely are fully aware of, it takes a lot of energy to get through an event like CYKELNERVEN. First you spend many hours building up the right level of fitness. But your ability to deliver enough energy to your working muscles is also important. Most people may know a friend who can do a really speedy ride for 60-90 minutes, but then “breaks down” completely. There is no point in building a bigger engine if the fuel hose is too small - or there is no petrol in the tank.

So through your recent ENDURANCE TRAINING, you can figuratively train your fuel hose to become bigger. However, it doesn't help much if the tank is empty, so an important element for our 4-day cycling event is about having the right nutrition strategy.

When we eat and drink energy, it first goes down into the stomach, where liquid and sugar can be absorbed. But if we eat more complex things, such as a French chicken sandwich, some of the food must first go down into the intestine before it is absorbed. Therefore, the rate of the stomach emptying has impact on how how quickly we absorb the energy and also the so-called 'osmotic' ratio.

You might already know this, but the latest research points to the fact that the intake of carbohydrates is trainable. We can therefore train our bodies to absorb larger amounts of carbohydrate - and as carbohydrate is our most efficient source of energy during intensive work, this is a focus point.

It has always been a rule of thumb that we had a maximum possible intake of 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour. However, this studies now show uptake as high as 120 gram per hour, which we should not strive for if you have been used to much lower intake.

Assuming a higher intake, you can work harder and longer than before. At Team Ineos, they use water bottles with the so-called Rocket Fuel. This is not about illegal substans, but a special combination of carbohydrates that enables the high uptake. The mixture is maltodextrin and fructose in a ratio that is specially adapted to the individual rider. Since the body has different “access ports" to absorb different carbohydrates, you can therefore go to the maximum limit for each type of port. It could be the Pure Power product CARBO RACE ELECTROLYTE, where there are long and short sugar structures.

A key advantage of this are that the energy is released over a slightly longer period of time and the body can absorb it in different ports. An as illustration: Imagine a train where all passengers want to go through the same door. It creates congestion and there will be a rush to get out. If you use all the doors, everyone will be able to get out and without crowding.

Water

With four tough stages ahead, the energy intake is surely important, but many forget the critical focus on liquid. For absorbing energy from food, energy products or sweets, it depends on the ratio between liquid and energy being correct. If we do not get enough liquid, it will be difficult to absorb the energy that is lying in the stomach. So even though energy is important, you must remember to drink enough clean water, and the amount depends on the heat and size of the rider as well as the individual rider's loss of liquid over time. Our important recommendation is to consume approximately 1 LITER OF CLEAN WATER per hour.

Energy Bars

The advantage of an energy bar is that the absorption of the energy comes gradually and the blood sugar does not fluctuate violently. Therefore, you can perform more optimally and with even a stable absorption. It could be with Pure Powers ENERGY SNACK, which are large but can be eaten over a period of time. Better to consume a little every quarter than a whole at once. A downside is that you don't get a big quick burst of energy all at once, so timely care is important if you prefer bars only.

alternatives for those who need a quick energy intake to get the best boost. These products work quickly, but require you to dose them correctly, otherwise you may experience fluctuations in your blood sugar and potentially ups and downs of your performance on the bike.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes do not provide energy but help maintain optimal salt and mineral levels. It can also help you drink sufficient portion of water as the tastes makes it more enjoyable. Electrolytes are however not a requirement if you eat and drink healthily, but can be a good way of getting the liquid in balance after a long and tough day in the saddle.

If the weather is hot, we recommend that you drink one bottle of electrolytes before the stage and one immediately after.