RECOVER LIKE A PRO

TRAINING I$ AS MUCH ABOUT RECOVERY AS IT IS ABOUT EFFORT. HERE'S HOW THE PRO RIDERS RECOVER AT THE TOUR DE FRANCE.

DURING A STAGE RACE like the Tour de France, racers aren't just battling it out every stage they're also racing for recovery. These long stage races often come down to wars of attrition, where riders who are losing even a single per cent of their abilities after a hard week of racing are unlikely to take a stage win, let alone contend for the overall title.

Even if you don't have a stage race on the schedule, you can learn from the pros' recovery tactics - plus, it's fun to find out exactly what happens after a stage finish. So, we dug into how the top cyclists get through those long weeks of racing.

REHYDRATE AND REFUEL

If you watch the finish line of any stage, you’ll notice that the soigneurs (those team staffers at the finish line) are quick to pass bottles to the riders as they cross the line. They’re filled with a carb-based sports drink that includes protein, though some may contain straight water or just electrolytes, depending on the rider’s preference.

When the next race is less than 24 hours away, immediately getting hydration and fuel back in the tank is vitally important, says Human Powered Health’s dietitian, Mathis Fluit.

SPIN IMMEDIATELY

You might be wondering why the hell riders would finish a 200km stage and then get onto the stationary trainer or rollers. They’ve ridden enough already, surely? But as Human Powered Health’s pro rider, Marjolein van’t Geloof – who’s a physiotherapist, in addition to being a WorldTour bike racer – explains, often riders finish with a sprint; so they actually need a few minutes to cool down and prep their legs for another day of racing. An easy session on the trainer will do that.

CLEAN UP