I’m doing the first leg of the TdF on Wednesday (minus a few A roads). While it’s not a race I’d like to make a good account of myself.

I’m sorted with gels I like to take on a ride (ZipVit) and usually do one an hour on 150km+ rides with a caffeine one about 90 mins from home. While the gels are good for getting carbs in, I do sometimes get an ’empty stomach’ feeling. My mate suggested taking a pack of fig rolls to munch on?

Also, would be interested to hear what people eat the night before (if it even makes a difference) and in the morning? I was going to wolf down a spag bol in the evening and have a porridge at 7am for a 9.15am start.

Thoughts, comments and discussion on dolmio vs. homemade welcome 😀

Night before…

Just nip in on your way back from the pub. Chilli sauce? Following morning is easily taken care of….

You may wan to pop a couple of these in for mid ride snacks…..

Hope that helps. Oh…. I should mention, I’m not actually a nutritionist

Honey and date sarnies for snacking on the ride. My dad was an avid Audax rider and swore by them and I have taken them ever since on long rides…

Binners you mean you’re not a nutritionist?

I don’t even know what’s real any more.

Honey and date sarnies eh? That’s a new one on me.

Also, re: brekkie I’ll be driven by someone, so something I could eat in the car respectably would be ideal.

full cooked brekkie 15-20 miles in. mmmmm

For mornings I like peanut butter on wholemeal bread. Yummy and apparently it’s good for you too.

I do agree with binners greggs fest too mind….

Linky for peanut butter

The Top 8 Health Benefits Of Peanut Butter

I’d be avoiding gels on a ride that long, esp if you’re not at race pace, eat lower GI foods.

Cynic-al – Thanks, well the ride is 140km so not sure if that comes under the category ‘Too long for gels’. What ‘low GI foods’ would you use instead?

Most decent rides I’ll try to drink plenty of water day before and big bowl of porridge for breakfast an hour or so before the ride, try to have rice/pasta tea the day before a big ‘un too. Social rides I’ll take a pie or something (coz I get hungry if others are eating) just small haribo stash and a gel for emergencies and take Flapjacks for longer solo rides. I’d be wary of necking gels for that long unless you’ve done it before. Done some >8hour rides/events and some savoury food was very much appreciated (and packing a sachet of chamy cream might be a good idea too)

Yea, I’m all over the chamy cream (or vice versa…)

I’m used to gels.

I think the plan is:

– Big pasta dinner and plenty of water the day before
– Porridge with seeds, nuts and peanut butter for breakfast
– Couple of gels, couple of flapjacks, mini-haribo bags (I have loads from xmas) and maybe something savory if I can get my hands on it.

No love for the fig rolls?

So would peanut butter rolls on a long ride be good? I get confused with the whole protein and carbs thing!

Ye dinners fine, breakfasts fine, but eat real foods for the first 3/4 of the ride and then get a couple of gels to get you to the finish.

No wonder you have an empty stomach feeling if you just eat gels. Gels should be for emergency/bonk/race only use imo

No love for the fig rolls?

i say flapjacks but I haven’t actually made flapjacks for ages so fig rolls are my current long ride fuel 🙂

Ok, thanks Rogan Josh.

I actually have a problem getting food in tbh. I cycled down to Bordeaux last summer and after 100km + a day I always felt nauseous. I had to really force food into my face.

Gels were just easier, but do see that they should be for emergency / booster. A bad habit I’ll have to try and get out of.