Endurance cycling consists of long-distance races over one day or a multistage race event such as the Tour de France. Regardless of the duration or distance for endurance cycling, each cyclist has a specific strategy, starting from the first mile, to improve performance and lower time. Each cyclist develops his own personal strategy based on riding ability and the course.
Teamwork
Endurance cycling races typically consist of riders who are supported, sponsored or participating as a team. Within each team, there are riders with various strengths, such as time trials or hills. As a result, the teams use these strengths to formulate specific strategies for each endurance event or stage. Riding as a team allows you to conserve energy by drafting off other cyclists to put the strongest rider in position to win the overall race.
Nutrition
With a single endurance event or stage taking several hours to complete, proper nutrition can make the difference in a podium finish or a did not finish. Cyclists develop a specific strategy for nutrition that ensures proper consumption of calories and nutrients while on the bike. During long endurance events, you may require 6,000 to 7,000 calories a day with the majority coming from carbohydrates for energy. The nutrition source must be portable and easy to eat while riding the bike.
Hydration
Proper hydration strategies complement the nutritional demands during endurance cycling events. Dehydration can dramatically affect your power output and overall performance, making it essential to have a specific hydration strategy on the bike. A general rule is to drink approximately 24 oz. of fluid for every hour of the event. Some cyclists set a timer or alarm on their watch to notify them when to drink.
Recovery
During a multistage endurance event, a major factor to overall race performance is a quick recovery between stages. Proper recovery is an extension of the nutrition and hydration strategies for the race, and also includes sleep and passive rest. Some cyclists use massage, stretching techniques, chiropractic care to increase recovery times.
References
- Bicycle Paper; Hydration 101: Strategies for Endurance Bicycling; Eric Moen
- "Men's Journal"; Winning Without Wheat; Vanessa Gregory; February 2010
- Dummies: Understanding the Tour de France and the Strategies
- Adventure Corps; Endurance Cycling: Five Mistakes to Avoid; Chris Kostman; October 2004
- Slipstream Sports: Post-Race Recovery the Garmin Way
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