Cadel in Yellow
Congratulations Cadel on swapping the rainbow jersey for the yellow jersey. This report from The Australian:
CADEL Evans lived right up to his status of world champion by riding into the yellow jersey on a grinding ride in the French Alps earlier today.
There was nothing brash as Evans, the BMC Racing team leader, dug deep into his physical and mental reserves to end the day just 20 seconds ahead of eventual stage winner, Andy Schleck of Saxo Bank and Spain’s Samuel Sanchez.
Evans crossed the line in a small group of eight riders, officially 10 seconds behind Schleck’s winning time of 4hrs 54mins.11secs in the 189lm stage from Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz.
The 33-year-old Victorian had begun the day in strong shape, trailing overnight leader Sylvain Chavanel by 1min. 25 secs., and not for the first time did the Frenchman riding for the Belgium Quick Step combine, compound badly on a day the stage moved deeper into the higher slopes of the Alps, after early skirting the picturesque Lake Geneva.
Champions find their riding style as early teenagers. Evans, the one-time two-time World Cup mountain bike champion, proved that he is that and more, although he looks pained when pedalling on the steeper climbs associated with this race.
The 33-year-old feels more at home and comfortable on the bike in the Pyrenees which are to come. He now holds the honour of having donned the yellow jersey for a second time, having worn it briefly in 2008 while riding for Silence Lotto when he finished second to Alberto Contador by just 23 seconds.
Like so many at this tour, Evans was given a huge fright when he too crashed early in the day, but he quickly got on with the business of getting back to the front of the chasing group paced by some very willing team-mates, as an early breakaway of seven riders threatened to impact on the make up of the leader board.
The breakaway was soon whittled down to a more manageable three in the shape of Mario Aerts, Koos Moernhout and Amael Moinard – who posed no threat to the likes of Evans, Schleck or Contado.
At one point the trio’s lead hovered at around the seven minute mark, before the Astana train of defending champion Contador turned up the heat to bring them back into the fold thanks in large to Daniel Navarro setting a relentless pace over the Col de la Ramaz and the smaller Les Gets.
It was no surprise Navarro finally cracked on the lower slopes of the lung-busting final ascent to Morzine, leaving it to Alexandre Vinokourov to continue the role of pacesetter, before he too, fell away.
The finish appeared readymade for Contador, but a counter attack never materialised, leaving it to Schleck and Olympic champion Sanchez to battle it out for the stage honours.
Schleck needed to find 30 seconds over the final five kilometres as the maths relayed to him from the team car by Bradley McGee, told him Evans was the virtual leader on the road.
In the end it left Schleck going into today’s rest day 20 seconds adrift of Evans, with Contador, third, 1minute one second adrift of the Australian.
But the biggest shock of the day came with the collapse of seven-time winner Lance Armstrong.
The lean Texan crashed twice before going on to lose a further 11mins. 45secs over the final three climbs of the day near the finish to Morzine.
He later conceded his hopes of an eighth Tour win, unless he can conjure a miracle, are over.
The 38-year-old RadioShack leader fell for the first time just 10km into stage, snapping his saddle in the process, requiring a change of bike.
Then just before the main chasing bunch had reached the lower slopes of de la Ramaz climb, Armstrong clipped the curb of a roundabout and fell a second time.
For a while it looked as though Armstrong, paced by Slovenian team mate Januz Brajkovic and fellow American Chris Horner, would make the catch.
But his ageing legs finally caught up with him as he simply couldn’t counter the crushing pace set at the head of the group that included many of the heads of state at this year’s Tour, put the hammer down which Armstrong simply could not match.
Armstrong got caught behind a third time in an incident involving Spain’s Egoi Martinez who fell on the descent of the second climb over Les Gets, forcing the Texan to stop riding, hop off his bike and walk around the stricken rider, again losing even more time on the group which inlcuded Evans.
The incidents led Armstrong to tumble down the general classification at the end of the day to 39th, 13 mins. 26secs. behind Evans.
Evans didn’t have an easy ride into yellow, having crashed early on the stage that also brought down Lance Armstrong.
“I went down pretty hard on my left side. Fortunately, my legs didn’t take it,” Evans said.
“I took it (the fall) all on my left arm, which is pretty sore.”
BMC Racing team president Jim Ochowicz said earning the yellow jersey at the team’s first appearance at the Tour confirms the commitment the team made in signing Evans.
“All the riders and staff have done the hard work for him all season,” Ochowicz said.
As to how long Evans can stay in yellow remains to be seen, after today’s rest day, he faces another tough day in the Alps tomorrow.
“We’ll wait for stages after tomorrow, but I’m happy it’s a rest day. Andy (Schleck) is going well, (Alberto) Contador and are really strong, so we’ll have to see and decide how to approach the rest of the mountains.”
Meanwhile, Canberra’s Michael Rogers of HTC-Columbia moved up the leader board to be 10th overall, just 2mins.31secs behind Evans.
RESULTS and standings in the Tour de France after Stage 8, 189km from Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz:
Stage 8
1. Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) 4hr 54min 11sec
2. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (EUS) Same time
3. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) +10sec
4. Roman Kreuziger (LIQ) +10sec
5. Alberto Contador (Astana) +10sec
6. Cadel Evans (BMC) +10sec
7. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (OLO) +10sec
8. Levi Leipheimer (Radioshack) +10sec
9. Ivan Basso (LIQ) +10sec
10. Denis Menchov (Rabobank) +10sec
General Classification
1. Cadel Evans (BMC) 37hr 57min 9ses
2. Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) +20sec
3. Alberto Contador (Astana) +1:01
4. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (OLO) +1:03
5. Denis Menchov (Rabobank) +1:10
6. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin) +1min,11secs
7. Roman Kreuziger (LIQ) +1min,45secs
8. Levi Leipheimer (Radioshack) +2mins,14secs
9. Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (EUS)+2mins,15secs
10. Michael Rogers (HTC) +2mins,31secs
The Australians
1. Cadel Evans (BMC)
10. Michael Rogers (HTC) +2min 31sec
111. Luke Roberts (Milram) +48:38
112. Matthew Lloyd (OLO) +48:44
131. Robbie McEwen (Katusha) +55:09
134. Wes Sulzberger (FDJ) +55:48
142. Simon Gerrans (Sky) +59:61
157. Mark Renshaw (HTC) +1:05.41
168. Brett Lancaster (CTT) +1:12.31
174. Stuart O’Grady (Saxo Bank) +1:15.23
posted 2010 Jul 12 by Robert Boyd
Cadel up to third in the Tour de France
Cadel did well on the tough TDF stage overnight. This report from The Australian:
NORWAY’S Thor Hushovd took stage three honours, but it was world champion Cadel Evans who rode his way right back into contention.
Evans finished the first day racing on French roads of this year’s Tour in day third overall, just 39 seconds off the lead. The BMC Racing team leader climbed a whopping 16 places up the general classification chart as he picked up a crucial two minutes 57 seconds on his main rivals.
Heading the other way on the classification was Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) whose hopes of an eighth Tour de France title were dented as he slipped from fifth to 18th at 2min 30sec off the lead.
Australia’s Michael Rogers (HTC Columbia), another well fancied contender for the overall title, also lost time, slipping down to the leader board to be 28th overall, three minutes down.
For both Armstrong and Rogers it is still time they can make up – providing they’ve brought along their climbing legs for the mountains which make their first appearance in this year’s race on Saturday when the race heads towards the stage finish at Station des Rousso.
Armstrong lost any chance of figuring at the business end of the stage on the edge of the Arenberg forest, when he lost time with a flat tyre.
The Texan would have lost even more time but for being rescued by faithful domestique Yaroslav Popvych, who stopped and waited to ride Armstrong back to the group ahead that included Alberto Contador, before he counter-attacked to try and put himself back into contention.
Contador himself will also rue teammate Alexandre Vinokourov’s bewildering tactics in the final kilometre by riding off his front wheel, which cost the Spanish defending champion precious seconds, time he could already ill-afford to lose.
As for Cancellara and Andy Schleck they can thank the selfless work on the front of the peloton done by Stuart O’Grady and the German Jens Voigt.
At one point O’Grady was on the front setting a fast tempo for the best part of 15km at the business end of the race, working for both Cancellara and Andy Schleck, unaware Schleck’s older brother Frank had crashed out of the race.
The hard work of O’Grady’s and Voigt brought Cancellara a 23-second cushion into today’s fourth stage, a short, sharp flat run of just 153km from Cambrai to Reims.
More importantly from an overall perspective, Cancellara put a minute on Astana’s Contador and Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and 2:08 on Armstrong.
Cervello’s Hushovd rode a smart race on another an incident packed stage, crossing the finish line in 4:49:36 from British road champion Geraint Thomas (Sky) and Evans on a day the cobblestone roads of northern France claimed a number of big scalps.
From the original 197 who set off in Rotterdam on Saturday, just 160 remain.
At one point yesterday it looked like the Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin Transitions) would steal the stage. But the Canadian couldn’t sustain the drive to the finish as Evans and Andy Schleck drove the chasing group hard.
The other big loser was Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel. Having started the day in the yellow jersey with a lead of just under three minutes, Chavanel ended the day dropping to fifth overall, 61 seconds behind Cancellara.
posted 2010 Jul 07 by Robert Boyd
Cadel in the Pink!
Great start from Cadel Evans in the Giro. This report form the Australian:
IT has taken just two days for Australia’s Cadel Evans to stamp his authority on the Giro d’Italia.
Evans showed why he’s among the best in the world to be back in the pink race leader’s jersey he last held at this grand olf tour eight years ago.
The Victorian BMC Racing team leader holds a single second lead going into today’s third and last stage in the Netherlands, but it is means much more after a day from Amsterdam to Utrecht was marred by a series of crashes.
While American Tyler Farrar from Garmin-Transitions took the 209km stage in four hours 56mins. 46secs. in a bunch sprint from Tasmania’s Matt Goss (HTC-Columbia) and Fabio Sabatini (Liquigas), the day belonged to Evans.
“Today was one of the most ridiciously dangerous days I’ve seen in my career,” Evans said after the stage.
“I saw many nervous riders today, too nervous.”When it’s dangerous like that, experience counts, but so does luck.
“Back in 2002, Evans lost the jersey he won the first time on stage 17, the next day.
“I’m not going to look at keeping the jersey at any cost,” he added as the survivors of was a demolition derby-like stage, that claimed BMC Racing team-mate Michael Kohler with a broken collarbone, heading into today’s 224km third stage to Middleberg.
It is the last day of racing in the Netherlands before tomorrow’s first rest day before the field hits the roads of Italy proper.
Evans in the maglia rosa took BMC Racing team director John LeLangue by surprise, even though he began the day just two seconds behind overnight leader Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky).
“The most important thing is taking time from the other contenders,” LeLangue said.
“We want to be in the first group every day and not lose time. We want the team to be in a good position going into the last 10 days of the race.
The stage began uneventful enough with a four man breakaway that comprised Paul Voss (Milram), Rick Flens (Rabobank), Stefano Pirazzi (CSF-Inox) and Mauro Facci (Quick Step).
At one point they held a 10 minute lead, before the bunch went to work to reel them in.It took some strong work at the front from Team Sky to make the catch as they went about trying to protect Wiggins in the pink jersery.
Then the nervy bunch got caught up in a series of crashes including eventual stage winner Farrar who was involved in a pile-up with Sydney’s Chris Sutton 23kms from the stage finish.
A quick change of shoe got Farrar back up and chasing.Another pile-up seven kilometres from the finish saw Wiggins caught out at the back of the bunch and out of the reckoning for stage honours.
Evans, riding a smart race, missed the chaos.In the end it came down to a bunch sprint, with Farrar outsprinting Goss and Sabatini after the three had reeled in Sutton’s somewhat audacious attack in the final 250.
Sutton had to settle for sixth, just ahead of veteran sprinter Robbie McEwen from Team Katusha.
Evans goes into today’s third stage, just one second ahead of Farrar, with Astana’s Alexandre Vinokourov, third.Tasmania’s Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) still has the white jersey on his back as the best young rider.
Of the rest of the Australians, the best placed are Goss at 13 seconds, Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank) at 21 seconds and Adam Hansen (HTC-Columbia) at 24 seconds.
Then comes Luke Roberts (Milram), Sutton (Team Sky), Graeme Brown (Rabobank), Cameron Meyer (Garmin-Transitions), McEwen (Katusha), Matt Lloyd (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Mathew Hayman (Sky) and Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Transitions) at 5mins 23 seconds.
posted 2010 May 10 by Robert Boyd
Cadel Triumphs in Fleche Wallonne
All Cadel’s partners at Winners Sports Nutrition congratulate him on his great victory in Belgium. Please see the full story as reported in The Australian:
WORLD champion Cadel Evans has won the Fleche Wallonne one-day classic ahead of Spanish duo Joaquin Rodriguez and Alberto Contador.
There is only ever been one computer read out to suggest Evans could be a champion road cyclist but measures of courage abound in his lithe frame.
Evans today showed it on the roads of Belgium in spades.
When Evans was told he was the first world champion to win the fourth of road cycling’s five monuments since local hero Claude Criquielion in 1985, he replied that he was only eight years old at the time.
Winning this most gut-busting of one day Ardennes Classics has seen Evans re-write the record books.
The first Australian to have won a professional road title, he can now add his name to being the first from Down Under to have won Fleche Wallone.
Evans from BMC Racing, a second tier team with big ambitions of doing well at the Giro d’Italia next month and the Tour de France in July, timed it perfectly after an aggressive race that had most of the pre-race favourites – including Astana’s Alberto Contador – in contention until the final surge up the final climb, the quaintly named Mur de Huy.
Spaniard Contador looked to have the win in his back pocket when he scrambled his way past the Basque rider Igor Anton of Euskatel-Euskadi in the final 300 metres.
But Evans, just as he did at the world championships in Switzerland last September to claim the coveted rainbow jersey, waited for the right moment to launch what proved to be the telling counter-attack.
Having ridden over the final few kilometres of the course just 24 hours earlier, he realised who ever was the strongest on the Mur de Huy, would take the day’s honours.
“Even though I’ve raced here several times, I never did a recon before a Fleche. BMC sport director John LeLangue took us out and I saw the climb in a different light and I realised that I was attacking too soon before,” Evans said.
“I found myself in a good position on the Mur and waited to launch my final attack in the final 100 metres.”
In winning Fleche Wallon, Evans becomes only the fifth rider to have achieved the goal having worn the rainbow jersey. The first was Ferdi Kubler in 1952, the last was Claude Criquielion in 1985.
“To race in the rainbow jersey is an honour and to win is even sweeter,” Evans said.
“I’ve been second before (in 2008), so to finally win is just great.
“It’s a special honour to ride with the rainbow jersey on my shoulders and the goal this season is to honour the rainbow jersey.”
Evans said he still had room for improvement as he now sets his sights on both the pink jersey at the Giro and the yellow in France.
But there is still the matter of tackling the final momument of the Ardennes Classics – Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.
The fact it falls on Anzac Day is not lost on Evans.
The only scare in the BMC Racing camp was the nasty fall at the 71km mark involving Evans’ team mate Karsten Kroon.
A patched-up Kroon still made it to the team’s celebratory dinner.
Team spokesman Sean Weide reports that the injuries to Kroon’s face are primarily contained to the right side.
“His face is extremely swollen and his eye is totally closed,” team director John Lelangue said.
“We will need a few days for the swelling to go down, then we will see how things will go.”
posted 2010 Apr 22 by Robert Boyd
We have a winner!
The “Win a Ride with Cadel” promotion was drawn at 11:00 am this morning and we are pleased to announce that Patrick Wood of Montmorency, Victoria is the winner. Congratulations Patrick!
posted 2009 Nov 16 by Sharon Pollock
Message from Cadel – To Around the Bay Riders
Fellow riders,
Firstly,congratulations on taking part in the 2009 Around the Bay. As someone who loves the sport it is amazing to think of over 14,000 cyclists taking on this great challenge.
After all the training you have been doing, I understand that some of you may want to put away the bike for a while. Others will be on a high after the Ride and wanting to take their cycling to the next level. Here are a few tips to assist those riders:
Get on the Bike
How much do you need to ride to get better? For a recreational rider looking to improve performance, 7-10 hours a week on the bike combining endurance, speedwork and easy recovery sessions will help you to reach your potential. Think “time” rather than distance because 20km into a headwind is a lot different to 20km with a gale behind you.
Get off the Bike
Strengthening your core and the muscles of your legs and torso is vital when seeking to increase your cycling intensity and cannot be fully achieved “on the bike”. You don’t need to rush out and get a gym membership. I recommend developing a routine of body-weight exercises including squats, lunges, push-ups and abdominal exercises that challenge your strength, balance and co-ordination. Increases in body strength developed “off the bike” will allow you to challenge your body further “on the bike”.
The Energy Equation
Diet is the starting point to drive performance. Always plan your food intake before the ride.
When riding, a rule of thumb is one gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour. For example if you weigh 80kg and you plan to ride for 5 hours, you should plan to consume 400g of carbohydrate. So stock up on those Winners energy bars and gels.
Use your Community
The Around the Bay demonstrates one of the great things about cycling – it is a community sport. Tap into this to improve your performance. Ask other riders how they got better. Ride with a different peloton. Go online and check out the cycling forums. Join a club! You’ll be amazed at how much you improve by listening to others.
Ride with Me
For Bicycle Victoria members, Winners bars are giving you the opportunity to win the chance to join me on a ride around the Bellarine Peninsula. For more information go to “www.winnersbars.com”< http://winners.myshopify.com/products/bicycle-victoria-special>
Good Luck and Good riding,
Cadel Evans
posted 2009 Oct 02 by Robert Boyd
Cadel Evans – World Champion
Congratulations to Cadel on becoming Australia’s first road cycling world champion, winning in Medrisio, Switzerland.
Courtesy of Cycling Australia
Victorian Cadel Evans has become the first Australian to win the elite men’s road race at a World Championships after an emphatic solo attack saw him cross the finish line in Mendrisio, Switzerland at the end of the 262.2 kilometre race, 27 seconds ahead of second placed Alexandr Kolobnev of Russia with Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver of Spain third.
“I don’t quite believe it – I have seven World Chapionship medals at home from junior, Under 23 and the elite mounatin bike relay and never won a gold,” said an overwhelmed Evans who broke down in tears of joy and relief after his victory. “This is my home away from home… this course really suits me and history obviously agrees.
“Golly what a weekend for Geelong,” said Evans who is a Geelong AFL team supporter and has now given the Victorian city even more cause to celebrate. Geelong and Melbourne will host the UCI Road Cycling World Championships next year and they now have a homegrown World Champion to model the rainbow jersey.
“It’s funny when you work for something and dream of something for so long when it actually happens you don’t believe it,” he said. “For me it’s about a sixteen year dream, so a while in the making, but to come through and to come through in the elite ranks above all that’s really something special.”
Evans says winning in the Australian colours has made the victory even more special.
“Certainly to win any race and to win one of the big ones but then to take the World Championship in our sport,” he explained. “I don’t know if it’s winning the Tour de France but it’s not far off it and being with the Aussies and seeing them out there.
“I’ve really grown up with the guys here and it’s been a lot of work in the making and for it all to come together today and I get the jersey as well that’s really something,” he said. “I did the right moves I was in the right place at the tight time and I was a little bit lucky as well.”
Evans launched his solo escape over the final climb of the course leaving behind a well credentialled group, including both the time trial and road race Olympic Champions, in his wake. For nine months of the year Evans lives in Stabio, on the Swiss – Italian border, just five kilometres from today’s finish line with his Italian born wife Chiara Passerini.
After crossing the line he kissed his wedding ring which he wears on a chain around his neck when he’s racing and he sought out Chiara in the crowd after being presented with his medal to collapse in tears in her arms.
The first half of the race saw a lead group of eight riders go clear, at one stage by almost ten minutes. While the peloton was happy to leave this group in front that changed when a more dangerous combination of riders broke away from the bunch in pursuit. More riders, including Australia’s Michael Rogers, launched a counter attack and it seemed this eventual group of around 30 riders might contest the finish.
“Michael was in there and a did a great job of being there and I thought it was going to be up to him to do the result for the country today,” said Evans.
Italy had the numbers in front to be dangerous but some of the heavyweights, including Evans, were missing so the peloton began to chase. Australians Stuart O’Grady, Wesley Sulzberger, Mathew Hayman and Simon Clarke buried themselves on the front of the chase to bring Evans and Simon Gerrans back into contention.
“This year, and it was Neil Stephen’s doing, he wanted to hold back and wait till later,” said Evans of the Australians strategy for the race. “When that big group went 95 km to go I thought maybe the race was over.
“Four italians were in front, 40 guys and a long way up there, I thought for a moment, (this is) one year a really early break goes (and succeeds).”
But it was reeled in and from there it was up to Evans.
“I only just made the (decisive break) group in the very last moment and used my head and legs and experience from there onwards,” he explained. “The world’s been telling me for years I can’t win big races, can’t win one day races, because my job is to win stage races, and then today I come out and win the World Championship, I don’t quite believe it.”
Gerrans finished tenth at 1min47sec.
Australia’s only other elite road World Champion has been Michael Rogers who won the time trial three times in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Australian Jack Hoobin won the amateur road race in 1950 but Evans is the first to climb onto the podium’s top step in the road race since the professional and amateur ranks merged in 1995.
Evans gold medal comes after Jack Bobridge opened the Australian medal tally with another gold in Wednesday’s U23 time trial and the two victories saw Australia finish on top of the medal table as the only nation to claim two titles. Australia also topped the medal table this year at the Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in Canberra last month and at the Track World Championships in Poland in March.
Cycling Australia’s National Performance Director, Shayne Bannan, says the win is phenomenal for Australian cycling.
“It’s a real turning point for Australian cycling,” said Bannan. “We’ve just had a fantastic dinner to celebrate Cadel’s win and Jack’s win and we’re elated with the team work that has gone into all of this and it’s really very special.”
Bannan admits the final 25 kilometres of the race were stressful for the team staff and supporters.
“We were pretty nervous,” he said. “It was a real game of poker.
“There was a situation where our young guys had to bring a break back and they got it to a certain distance but the last couple of laps were pretty nerve-wracking,” said Bannan. “But I think the Italians and Spanish panicked quite a bit as to what was happening at the front and we took advantage of that. Once the group came together though Cadel took complete control.
“In this game you don’t really celebrate and you don’t believe it until you see it,” he said. “To see Cadel cross the line with his hands in the air and the elation was so special.
“It just proves how important it’s been to have the work that’s gone into it over the last number of years, the amount of public support we’ve received via the Australian Sports Commission and the great contribution from our sponsors.
“Australian cycling has arrived at a world level,” said an elated Bannan. “We’ve won our first professional world road title – we have arrived.”
posted 2009 Sep 28 by Robert Boyd
A message from Cadel
Fellow Riders,
Professional cyclists think about food more than just about any other profession (sumo wrestlers and supermodels may be the exception). During a day’s racing on a Tour, we can use over 10,000 calories as we climb mountains and power through straight stretches, so there is always a lot of talk in the peloton about what we are consuming before, during and after a day’s racing.
As you prepare for your next big ride, keep in mind the following to ensure you complete the day in your best shape and avoid the dreaded “bonk”:
1) Eat Natural! – You are what you eat! As you train load up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and lean meats. A consistent diet will have you feeling strong and healthy for race day.
2) Carb Up – The “bonk” occurs when the body’s stores of carbohydrate (glycogen in the liver and muscles) is depleted and the exercising muscle shifts to fat metabolism as its primary source of energy. To avoid this consume a high carbohydrate diet during your training program and in the days before the race. Rice, pasta, cereals, breads and Winners energy bars and gels should all feature prominently.
3) Race Day – Again, carbs are key. Don’t wait until you get hungry. Prepare your food plan beforehand. A rule of thumb is one gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour. For example if you weigh 80kg and you plan to ride for 5 hours, you should plan to consume 400g of carbohydrate. Winners Sustained Energy bars and gels are great (and tasty) sources of nutrition.
4) Beware the Sugars – Beware the quantity of sugar in your race or training foods. Sugar causes an energy spike that gives you a quick high but plummets very quickly, leaving you feeling flat and listless and a long way from home. Save the soft drinks and sweets until after the race.
5) Recover! – A long ride does knock your body around. The first step to recovery is to keep restoring your glycogen stores with further carbohydrate intake. Energy bars, bananas are sandwiches are a good choice. Don’t be afraid to pig out as your body needs it. In this case, simple sugars which can be readily absorbed are acceptable so a soft drink is OK, but a better choice may be a flavoured milk or protein drink. Protein is important to repair your muscle tissue so your first meal after the ride should feature high-protein ingredients such as red meat, chicken, fish or tofu.
6) Enjoy! – Sometimes we can get hung up with the idea of food as fuel. Food to me is one of life’s pleasures so there’s still a role for beautiful meals (including the occasional pastry) in your preparation.
Good luck and good riding,
Cadel Evans
posted 2009 Sep 02 by Rick Pollock
The Webshop is open
Winners is pleased to announce the Winners Sports Nutrition Webshop is now open and ready to go. Over the next few weeks we’ll be bringing you a range of specials we’re sure will please.
Click on the Food link to browse our products. Happy shopping!
posted 2009 Jul 21 by Rick Pollock
Webshop opening soon
We’re excited to announce the imminent opening of our webshop. This will give you access to our full range of goods that you can purchase from the comfort of your home – or anywhere you’re connected!
Until the shop is opened products will appear with status ‘Out of stock’. We look forward to bringing this new service to you in the very near future.
posted 2009 Jul 02 by Rick Pollock
