Nutrition for Cycling: How to Fuel for Long-Distance Rides, Sportives and Races
If you're training for a long-distance ride, sportive or race, your nutrition strategy is just as important as your training plan. The right approach to fuelling, hydration and recovery can help you maintain energy levels, delay fatigue, and finish strong — whether you're riding 60km or 160km.
In this guide, you'll learn how to prepare your body with carbohydrate loading, fuel efficiently before and during your event, and recover properly so you can keep performing at your best.
Carbohydrate Loading: Building Your Fuel Stores
If your ride will last longer than 90 minutes, carbohydrate loading in the 36–48 hours before your event can make a big difference. It ensures your muscle glycogen stores are full, giving you more energy on the bike and helping you avoid the dreaded “bonk” — when your body runs out of readily available fuel.
How to Carb Load:
Increase carbohydrate intake to 10–12g per kg body weight per day during your final taper days.
Prioritise foods like porridge, pasta, rice, bread and potatoes.
Include 2–3 snacks like cereal bars, bananas, dried fruit or smoothies.
Use liquid carbohydrates (e.g. juice, energy drinks) if appetite is low.
Avoid overeating — carb-loading isn’t about volume, it’s about composition.
The Day Before Your Ride
Keep meals familiar, easy to digest, and low in fat and fibre. You want to feel comfortable, not sluggish, on race day.
Tips:
Eat your main meals earlier in the day and keep dinner light.
Choose white rice or bread over wholegrains if you're prone to digestive issues.
Avoid rich, greasy or unfamiliar foods.
Stay well-hydrated — sip fluids steadily throughout the day.
Event Morning: Fuel Up & Hydrate
Breakfast is important for topping up liver glycogen stores, which deplete overnight. Aim to eat 2–4 hours before your event start time.
What to Eat:
Choose carb-rich, low-fat foods like porridge, toast, granola, or bagels.
If you're short on time or appetite, opt for a banana, sports drink or energy bar.
Consume 1–4g of carbohydrate per kg body weight, depending on time available.
Hydration:
Drink 5–10 ml fluid per kg body weight in the 2–4 hours before your ride.
Check hydration by monitoring urine colour — it should be pale yellow.
Optional: Caffeine
If you’re used to it, 3 mg per kg body weight of caffeine can boost alertness and reduce perceived effort.
Take it 30–45 minutes before your ride or before a challenging section.
Avoid if you're sensitive or haven’t tried it in training.
During the Ride: Fuel Early, Fuel Often
If your ride lasts over 90 minutes, you'll need to take in carbohydrates regularly to maintain energy and delay fatigue.
How Much to Eat:
30–60g of carbohydrate per hour for rides up to 3 hours.
Up to 90g per hour for longer rides or races.
Use a mix of glucose and fructose for better absorption at higher intakes.
Fuelling Options (~30g carbs each):
1 gel
500ml isotonic drink
1 banana
4 energy chews
Half an energy bar
Pro Tips:
Start fuelling 45 minutes in, then continue every 30–60 minutes.
Practise with your race-day foods in training.
Include savoury snacks like peanut butter wraps, rice cakes or pretzels to avoid flavour fatigue.
Plan your feed stops on sportives — refill bottles, top up snacks, but avoid overeating.
Hydration on the Bike
Maintaining hydration supports endurance, temperature regulation and blood flow.
Tips:
Carry two bottles: one with water, one with an electrolyte or energy drink.
Sip small amounts regularly.
Use electrolyte tablets or salty snacks if you’re a heavy or “salty” sweater.
Post-Ride Recovery: The 4 R’s
1. Rehydrate
Replace fluids gradually over a few hours. Aim for 1.25–1.5L of fluid per kg of sweat lost.
2. Refuel
Replenish glycogen with 1.0–1.2g carbs per kg body weight per hour for up to 4 hours if training again soon. If you have more than 8 hours to recover, resume your normal meals.
3. Repair
Support muscle repair with 0.3–0.5g protein per kg body weight (around 20–35g for most cyclists). Choose high-quality proteins rich in leucine: milk, yogurt, soya, eggs, tofu, quinoa, etc.
4. Rest
Prioritise sleep — it’s essential for recovery, hormone regulation and immune function. Most adults need 7–9 hours, but active individuals may need more. Even small amounts of sleep loss can reduce cycling performance and increase fatigue.
Summary: Key Takeaways for Long-Distance Riders
Fuelling for long-distance rides, sportives and races isn’t just about eating more — it’s about eating smarter. Practise your nutrition strategy during training rides so that everything from your breakfast to your on-bike snacks is familiar, tested, and reliable.
✅ Carb-load in the 36–48 hours before your event
✅ Eat a carb-rich breakfast 2–4 hours pre-ride
✅ Start fuelling 45 minutes in, then every 30–60 minutes
✅ Aim for 30–90g carbs/hour, depending on intensity and duration
✅ Hydrate regularly, using electrolytes if needed
✅ Recover with carbs, protein, fluids — and rest