The importance of carbohydrates as the main energy source for cyclists (in fact, for everyone!) and for athletes goes without saying, but just how much is the “right” amount of carbohydrates that needs to be taken during a race or training? 

The answer is pretty easy to put into practice but a bit harder to explain.  The first thing to understand is that there are different types of carbohydrates, simple and complex.

Simple sugars (lollies, soft drink, junk food etc.) are the quickest to digest and absorb while complex sugars (wholewheat pasta, brown rice etc.) are the slowest to digest and absorb.

Quick absorption quickly increases blood sugar levels that provide the body with a short-lasting source of energy.  Complex sugars have a longer time of absorption that raises blood sugar levels slowly and provides the body a long-lasting source of energy.

During a race or a hard and long training session it is better to ingest simple sugars that provide a source of energy ready to use in a short time.  As we said before it doesn't last for long, so to have a constant high level of blood sugar we need to keep supplying our body with carbohydrates every 45/60 minutes.

But how many?

So...our body during exercise is unable to absorb more than 60 grams per hour of a single source of carbohydrate (glucose, fructose, maltodextrin, sucrose).  However, if you ingest carbohydrates in multiple forms (i.e. glucose plus fructose, sucrose plus maltodextrin) the body is able to reach higher sugar absorption regardless weight or gender.  

So what does all that mean?  It basically means that during a race your body is able to absorb the sugars contained in a can of Coke every 30 minutes, but if you want to increase the amount of fuel ready to burn you need to add more fructose or maltodextrin. 

Obviously not everyone can withstand such a high carbohydrate load so you have to find what works for you, but if you’re looking to improve your performance, it’s always helpful to understand what the body needs and what it is capable of absorbing. 

When I was racing, especially in long races, I used to feed myself with energy gels containing carbohydrates and I remember that in certain Classics, where the day's program included a breakaway, I had a supply of 8 gels for each feeding zone (usually there are 2 in the Classics) plus another 6 gels that I took with me before the race started.  I remember one year at Milan Sanremo that I raced almost completely in a breakaway, I consumed 22 gels plus a few shortcrust pastries and jam.

Not all athletes feed in the same way during races.  A lot of my teammates preferred solid foods like rice cakes and sandwiches, others that would prefer to feed on drinks and gels and there were riders (me included) that preferred to mix solids and liquids, but in the end, sugars are the main nutrient to keep physical and psychological performance as high and consistent as possible. 

You can find out more on this website.