Cycling continues to grow in popularity. Each year, professional riders compete in events ranging from multiple-day stage races, such as the Tour de France, to single-day races. Although each bike race is different in a variety of ways, they all have at least one thing in common -- the feed zones.
Definition
The feed zone is an area designated by race organizers along the course. There may be more than one feed zone, based on the total distance the cyclists will cover during that stage of the race. The feed zone gives each rider an opportunity to take on food prepared by his team. Riders do not stop as they travel through the feed zone. They grab bags from team assistants.
Purpose
Bonking is a term used in cycling that refers to a rider depleted of energy because he lacks sufficient calories or carbohydrates. Team assistants, called soigneurs, pass a variety of food and liquid stuffed into a bag, called a mussette, to the team's riders, providing the sustenance needed to complete the race in a competitive manner.
Feeders
The feed zone is a chaotic place, as riders come through in a mass peloton, or group, and do not stop to receive their mussette bags filled with food. To reduce chaos, feeders or team assistants are not supposed to run when handing bags to their riders. In addition, feeders often wear a team jersey or vest to make them more visible to their riders. They also shout the rider's name.
Food
The professional cycling team Garmin-Cervelo provides its riders with a variety of items to keep calories high. A sample mussette bag expertly prepared by their team nutritionists includes a small can of soda and two sports bottles, one containing water, with a sports drink in the other. To ensure the riders have plenty of calories to keep their energy levels high, rice cakes with egg and rice, and cream cheese with ham sandwiches are included, along with a variety of energy bars and gels provided by the team's sponsor.
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