Nutrition as a secret weapon: This is how professional cyclists survive the Tour de France!

Nutrition as a secret weapon: This is how professional cyclists survive the Tour de France!

The Tour de France is not just a race, but a real balancing act between performance and nutrition. This year, from July 5th to 27th, 2025, professional cyclists will compete against each other in one of the sport's toughest challenges. Over three weeks, they have to complete 21 stages and more than 3,300 kilometers, consuming between 5,000 and 8,000 calories a day, depending on the type of stage. NWZOnline reports that ....

Healthy nutrition becomes the key to success for athletes. During their competitions, professionals consume significant amounts of food and drink to maintain their energy. A good example is provided by Emanuel Buchmann, who burned 6,970 calories on a mountain ride at an altitude of 8,848 meters. This highlights the importance of proper nutrition in preventing eventual exhaustion, also known as “hunger starvation”. SWR informs that...

The importance of nutrition

The professional cyclists have a strict daily routine that begins at 9 a.m. with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast. This consists of oatmeal, pasta or rice, accompanied by coffee and water. One thing is clear: if you add too late, you risk the so-called “hunger period”, which can have serious consequences for performance. The professionals have to regularly consume gel packs and isotonic drinks during the race to keep their energy levels stable.

In order to optimally support the intensity of their efforts, Florian Lipowitz, the talented cyclist, also uses targeted food intake. After crossing the finish line, he is given grape juice and a recovery shake, while an easily digestible meal such as rice with egg or chicken is available on the team bus. The Red Bull team even goes so far as to operate its own “kitchen truck” with nutritionists, which team boss Ralph Denk calls a “game changer”.

Nutrition strategy game

The art of nutrition in cycling even goes so far that some athletes weigh their meals like Georg Zimmermann, the German road cycling champion. Measuring the amounts of food allows athletes to precisely control the necessary energy intake. Zimmermann is convinced: “Nutrition is more important than the training itself.” At least this strategy brought him strong performances and placements in the top group at the Tour de Suisse.

Dinner is also important, which can contain up to 4,000 calories. The professional teams rely on their own chefs to develop an optimal nutritional concept for their athletes. Ultimately, there is no way around it: In this discipline, the demands on energy intake are so high that without this careful planning in the stages hardly a cyclist would be able to withstand the pressure.

In summary, the nutrition of professionals in the Tour de France is just as crucial as the training itself. Well-thought-out nutritional strategies and constant adaptation to the body's needs can make the difference between time and victory.