Professional cyclists sometimes must consume copious amounts of food to perform well. However, not every cyclist has to ingest the extraordinary number of calories demanded during multi-stage events such as the Tour de France. Professional cyclists who compete in shorter events every two weeks, or train in fourteen day stages, may require different eating strategies.
Cyclist Nutrition at a Glance
A two-week diet for professional cyclists should emphasize calories and carbohydrates since intense cycling burns anywhere from 2000 to 3000 calories per hour. Cycling Performance Tips details carbohydrate metabolism and the importance of keeping liver and muscle glycogen levels high, positing several strategies for maximizing performance. For example, a carbo-load three days before, and within four hours of the start, of an event allows your body to hit ideal glycogen levels. Over two weeks, carbohydrate intake at every meal assures optimal glycogen stores.
Two-week Nutrient Shifts for Single-Day Event
Cycling Performance Tips also points out that protein and fat, like carbohydrate, also inform nutrition, and that amounts shift with each stage. Based on body weight calculations of .455 pounds per one kilogram, a two-week event lead-up requires that the first 8 to 10 days involve baseline nutrition: 1.5 g protein per kg body weight, approximately 70 g fat total daily, and the remainder in carbs. Carbohydrate balances shift higher four days prior to the race and again on race day. During the race, fuel should be carb-based; post-event can include protein, and for two days carb intake must remain high.
Endurance Cycling
Peak Performance digs deep into extended-effort physiology, calculating calorie output during multi-day events. Research into actual carbohydrate uptake by professional cyclists reveals that they can process only 60 g per hour, with rare instances of 80 g/hr. Their bodies are simply incapable of processing more than that during such intense exercise. So for any two-week Tour, taking in 60 g carb every single hour in the saddle becomes a challenge in itself. Professionals train to the task by practicing with different sports beverages, gels, powders and tablets.
Female Pro Cyclist Nutrition
Even though professional female cyclists typically weigh less and have slightly more body fat than their male counterparts, they are still especially lean and should consume copious amounts of food during intense two-week training intervals. A separate article by Peak Performance points out that female pros tend to under-eat, and must be vigilant about consuming enough food not only to cover training but also to maintain basic metabolic health, regardless of hours in the saddle. Two-week plans should emphasize similar protein, fats and carb percentages per body weight as men's plans.
You Are What You Eat, Every Two Weeks
Individual needs vary. Vegetarian professionals must pay attention to protein, as plant foods -- soybeans excepted -- do not contain the full array of essential amino acids. Lacto-ovo vegetarians benefit from the complete protein in eggs and milk, but stricter vegetarians must combine foods. Also, religious stipulations might surface every week or two, affecting consumption of meats, for example. Finances affect what foods can be bought, so if you race every two weeks, you had better be winning. If a pro receives a bi-weekly check, meal-financing must cover the full two weeks. Fortnightly success always depends on more than just the bike.
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