best food for energy on up coming trip too flanders

The-beast
The-beast Posts: 140
hey guys if theres any nutritionists or diet enthusiasts that can give me some advice as im riding in this years tour of flanders sportive. most days when im out training i have lots of energy but the odd time i feel drained and thats the last thing i want happening on this grueling sportive. so what would i be best eating-

-the week before
-the day before
-the morning of the sportive
-during the event

thanks guys

Comments

  • The-beast
    The-beast Posts: 140
    bump
  • The-beast
    The-beast Posts: 140
    bump
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    The-beast wrote:
    hey guys if theres any nutritionists or diet enthusiasts that can give me some advice as im riding in this years tour of flanders sportive. most days when im out training i have lots of energy but the odd time i feel drained and thats the last thing i want happening on this grueling sportive. so what would i be best eating-

    -the week before
    -the day before
    -the morning of the sportive
    -during the event

    thanks guys

    My thoughts....
    Week before - normal food, Plenty of liquids (non alcohol/caffeine)
    Day before - easily digested food with good mix of carbs, protein & fat and perhaps a bit extra carbs. Plenty of liquids (non alcohol/caffeine). Eat heartily but not too late so you disturb your sleep
    Morning before - good breakfast, easily digested familiar if possible. ie if you usually eat porridge don't suddenly change to muesli.
    Event - bars, gels, drink, bananas etc. Start eating early on....- all the stuff you've tetsed during training - because you have tested it all haven't you!
  • nottscobb
    nottscobb Posts: 147
    Eat a small amount after each section of cobbles. You sure as hell can't eat during them and eating at the end of each section means you won't have just eaten something before it gets shaken up inside you :lol:
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Take the same stuff you do normally, why is Flanders any different?

    If it's cold and wet, which sadly, it always has been the 3/4 times I've done the randonee, you can get away with eating a bit more.

    You will probably drink less than you would when it's 35C so mix your bottles (PSP, apple juice, home made maltodextrin, etc) stronger so you get the same carbs per unit of time, rather than per unit sip.

    Depending on your cages, take 500 or 600 ml bottles cuz 750 ml have greater inertia and can pop out of your cages on the kinderkopfen. People have good luck with Speclialized rib cages.

    Otherwise, don't be scared of Flanders, it ain't P-R that's for fricken sure.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    Otherwise, don't be scared of Flanders, it ain't P-R that's for fricken sure.

    Ain't dat the truth!!

    They feed and water you on the day, just take a couple of gels or something, I've never needed them tbh.

    Night before a pasta dinner should sort you out, depends where you're staying but no shortage of Italian restaurants in Brussels.

    Breakfast is up to you, depends how early you are starting and what you can manage. If you can't manage a proper breakfast (porridge if you can get it?) then a sports drink and a banana or two should be fine.

    Just treat it like a long hard ride, with a bunch of short steep hills - outside of the bumpy bits, that's basically what it is! And enjoy the experience, best sportive in the world IMO.
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • Rapha
    Rapha Posts: 86
    You will probably drink less than you would when it's 35C so mix your bottles (PSP, apple juice, home made maltodextrin, etc) stronger so you get the same carbs per unit of time, rather than per unit sip.

    I wouldn't recommend this. Once you go to a too high drinks concentration you will start to suffer with stomach problems.

    To be able to tell you what you should take during the ride, we would need to what you are already taking. There is some difference in sports nutrition product. For example do ou use 2:1 Fructose drinks?