The diet of a Tour de France cyclist

[fiamme red]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/recreational-cycling/how-to-eat-like-a-tour-de-france-cyclist/

James Forsyth, a classically trained chef from Lincolnshire, is one of the two Team Sky chefs (along with Norwegian Henrik Orre) charged with turning clean ingredients into mouthwatering meals. “Like everyone else riders get bored with the same meals so presentation really matters,” says Forsyth. “Dishes need to be stimulating and colourful. At dinner we might serve a beetroot risotto, or a salad with dried fruit and Feta cheese to make it tastier.”

Breakfast options include porridge topped with berries for slow-release fuel, a protein-packed omelette to aid muscle performance and a banana, date and honey smoothie for energy and vitamins. During the race riders munch on rice cakes. At the end of each day they wolf down chicken and sweet potato wedges (perfect fodder for post-gym lunches in the office) to restore energy and repair muscles. A typical dinner is salmon in soy sauce with quinoa and side dishes of tomato and avocado salad or vegetable and chickpea tagine.Aren't rice cakes rather light in calories? I always thought that musettes contained things like ham sandwiches.

[deechee]

depends what you put in it, as well as the variety of rice, but in general I think you get a bit more calories (https://www.eiyoukeisan.com/JapaneseFoodCalorie/zryouri/onigiri.html). I think people started shoving in eggs and bacon after that Allen Lim cookbook thing came out so you can pack 'em well.

[adub]

You telling me that TdF cyclists don't eat a ketogenic diet? LOL!

[Peter P.]

depends what you put in it, as well as the variety of rice, but in general I think you get a bit more calories (https://www.eiyoukeisan.com/JapaneseFoodCalorie/zryouri/onigiri.html). I think people started shoving in eggs and bacon after that Allen Lim cookbook thing came out so you can pack 'em well.

I have Allen Lim's book, Feedzone Portables. The beginning of the book is a detailed explanation of cycling energy requirements, and the foods that can supply it best. Lim makes the argument that rice is an excellent energy source.

I've made the rice cakes, particularly the eggs and bacon mentioned above, adding diced red/green peppers. They're tasty, filling, and definitely not light in calories. You definitely need to experiment with the recipes. My cakes tend to come out a little dry so they don't hold together as well wrapped in foil. I wonder if it has to do with freezer storage...

I also seem to think it won't hurt to add a little sweetness to the rice.

I've also made the souffle-like eggs in little muffin tins. Same as above, but obviously they hold together better.

These foods are counter-intuitive because they're not the typical bars, pastries, candies, and gels; much sweeter offerings with a higher sugar kick.

Years ago there was a documentary describing the daily diet of a TdF cyclists. It said they burn the equivalent of 36 JELLY DONUTS in a typical stage!

[unterhausen]

I saw Sagan in the Tour de Suisse eating something that looked a lot like a jelly donut

[maxn]

My cakes tend to come out a little dry so they don't hold together as well wrapped in foil. I wonder if it has to do with freezer storage...
Have you tried mixing some vinegar into the rice?

[enr1co]

Time to dig this one up again :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OhUJywiSUE

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8OhUJywiSUE/maxresdefault.jpg

[enr1co]

One of my favorite long ride foods

http://foodandmeal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/How-to-Make-Spam-Musubi.jpg

[weisan]

One of my favorite long ride foods

http://foodandmeal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/How-to-Make-Spam-Musubi.jpg

This is genius!

[echappist]

Time to dig this one up again :)





that is great

[deechee]

My cakes tend to come out a little dry so they don't hold together as well wrapped in foil. I wonder if it has to do with freezer storage...

It could also be the type of rice you use. Calrose is sticky, but glutinous/mochi rice is way more sticky and has a higher GI to boot. If you don't want to use that much mochi rice, even mixing it in with the regular Japanese rice makes a difference. Glutinous rice requires higher temps for cooking btw.

Do you wrap your rice balls while the rice is piping hot? I mostly do it out of tradition and childhood memories, but doing it while the rice is hot allows the outside to cool and dry out a bit more which helps keep the inside moist and soft, while giving you a more textured outer. I like wet seaweed around on the outside, which will help hold the rice together as well.

Last but not least, you need to wrap each rice ball individually in saran wrap. I do that, and then wrap everything in tin foil. My wife who is also Japanese thinks I'm environmentally unfriendly, but I tell her its the only way to do it.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/366737915_57486f4fda_o.jpg

Traditionally, if a rice cake has gotten old, we pan fry it, which will help add a crunchy texture to the outside while steaming the inside in a way. That could help revive your frozen rice cakes too.

There are also plastic molds if your hands are sensitive to handling rice out of the rice cooker.
http://pre10.deviantart.net/8229/th/pre/i/2011/036/6/3/how_to___onigiri_mold_by_demi_plum-d38vfrn.jpg

[dgauthier]

One of my favorite long ride foods

http://foodandmeal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/How-to-Make-Spam-Musubi.jpg

Is that spam? :eek:

Now, sushi would be a great ride food! Never occurred to me before...thanks!

[yngpunk]

Is that spam? :eek:

Now, sushi would be a great ride food! Never occurred to me before...thanks!

Spam musubi, native food of Haiwaii :)

[peanutgallery]

For many years I've been operating under the assumption that the Tour "diet" involved more than just a little "big pharma" :0

At that level I think it has a lot more to do with what works for you rather than what it is ...past a certain point. Calories and recovery are paramount...everybody is a little different

Rice cakes remind me too much of Alan Lim and that whole beard of the -7/Flandis time period

[Peter P.]

Thanks for the suggestions regarding my slightly less than sticky rice.

I use Calrose rice as suggested in the book. Book instructions have you putting the cooked rice in a baking dish, pressing down some, and let cool slightly before cutting into squares. I also pull the rice off the heat before the water is fully absorbed, and finish cooking off the heat with the lid on. That way it doesn't stick in the pot, and comes out seemingly moist enough, but apparently not. Perhaps I'll try the vinegar next time.

Making the rice cakes I also learned what foods don't agree with me-those ingredients found in the book's recipes: Curry powder, bacon grease, pepper, and the list goes on...

[rwsaunders]

Saxo-Tinkoff rice cake recipe...

https://youtu.be/RG7bWKK9G7E

[cv1966]

Is that spam? :eek:

Now, sushi would be a great ride food! Never occurred to me before...thanks!

My brother once tried sushi during a warm century ride. It dissolved into a disgusting slimy mush. We both bonked as a result since I had to share my grub with him. 🤔

[BlueFly]

Last but not least, you need to wrap each rice ball individually in saran wrap. I do that, and then wrap everything in tin foil. My wife who is also Japanese thinks I'm environmentally unfriendly, but I tell her its the only way to do it.



What about wax paper rather than Saran?

[bouldergary]

funny

[91Bear]

One of my favorite long ride foods

http://foodandmeal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/How-to-Make-Spam-Musubi.jpg

Spam Musubi!

[muz]

My brother once tried sushi during a warm century ride. It dissolved into a disgusting slimy mush. We both bonked as a result since I had to share my grub with him. 🤔

Sushi is my favorite randonneuring food. A lot of our brevets use Safeway grocery stores as controls. As a food snob, it would not have otherwise occurred to me.

I also like to make rice cakes with bacon and eggs, and store a few in the freezer. I put those in a ziploc bag and they are ready to eat 6 hours or so into the ride.

Another trick I found is to use nori as wrapper instead of using foil paper (more like a burrito than musubi). Easier to grab one from a ziploc bag and eat without fumbling with the foil, and no mess.

[stephenmarklay]

Saxo-Tinkoff rice cake recipe...

https://youtu.be/RG7bWKK9G7E

I think I will stick to a banana :rolleyes:

[Joxster]

It's quite interesting to read because not a lot has changed in the grand scheme of things in the last 25yrs. What we ate in the 80's is similar to what they are eating now, the difference is having a chef on the team. At the end of the stage the riders have a protein shake, we had mixed berries and honey blitzed with milk. Dinner is a bit more sophisticated, we had steak or chicken, rice and salad. What is handed up during the race is easier to eat but essentially the same, dried fruit, fruit cake or rice cakes.