The first thing we have to keep in mind before properly choosing and planning the protocols and supplement intake in cyclocross is that it is a very explosive sport discipline, so it combines both endurance and strength factors.
Therefore, we will have to prepare the pre- and post-competition very well since in this discipline there is no 'during'.
Complete hydration and energy loading pre-competition:
- Previous days: Since these are very explosive tests, the glycolytic component as a source of energy is very important, so we have to start with our glycogen stores completely full. To achieve this, in the days prior to the competition (2 – 3 days), a high carbohydrate intake is recommended, which can reach or even exceed 10 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. To be able to reach this, we must include carbohydrate sources (cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and greens) in all our meals of the day, which must be at least 5 meals.
Along with this extra intake of carbohydrates, we must also introduce extra water in order to correctly synthesize glycogen. Technically, an additional intake of 2,5 ml of water is recommended for every extra gram of carbohydrates. Although more generally and practically, we can say that one should drink more in the days leading up.
- Competition Day (hours before): As I usually say, on 'D-Day' you shouldn't experiment, so the pre-event breakfast should be very similar to your usual one, with carbohydrates and a bit of protein, low in fat and fiber to ensure light digestion and avoid gastrointestinal problems. And if the time between breakfast and the start is more than 2h or 2,5 hours, we can have a final solid intake of carbohydrates, for example, with a snack like an energy bar.
With prior hydration, we also have to be attentive, since we should ingest liquids practically up to the start, but especially from 90 to 45 minutes before we will introduce 300 to 500 ml of liquid, preferably water with mineral salts, especially sodium. And the best way to do this is by ingesting an isotonic drink.
Rehydration and complete post-competition recovery:
One thing we need to be clear about is that recovery must always occur on two levels, the energy level and the muscular level, for which we need to consume carbohydrates and proteins together. The ratio or proportion between them should be higher in carbohydrates because, as I have mentioned before, it is a very explosive discipline. But since it also has an important strength component, the protein intake should be somewhat higher than in sports that are purely endurance-based, so the appropriate ratio between carbohydrates and proteins could be 2,5/1 or 2/1. Adjusting the amount of carbohydrates to a range between 0,7 g and 1 g./Kg of body weight.
Regarding hydration, it is also important to replace lost fluids as soon as possible, so it is essential to ingest approximately 150% of the lost weight, that is, the lost weight plus half of it. But not only the liquid is important; to achieve proper and rapid rehydration, we must also introduce mineral salts, mainly Sodium and Potassium.
My recommendation is that to achieve all this in the fastest and most assimilable way, we should consume a well-designed and high-quality recovery drink since it will provide us with the liquid, salts, proteins, and carbohydrates we need to achieve optimal post-competition recovery. It is true that if it is designed for less explosive sports, we will usually find a nutrient ratio of 3/1, so we should adjust the desired amount of carbohydrates and add extra fast-absorbing proteins to reach the necessary amount.
Article written by Pablo Felipe Martín, technical advisor and expert in sports nutrition at Crown Sport Nutrition
KEVIN SUAREZ TELLS US WHAT HIS DAILY NUTRITION IS LIKE
«During cyclocross season, we race every weekend, sometimes Saturday and Sunday and other times just one day. So the training during the week consists of recovering fully or partially (depending on the week), one day of road riding, another of intervals with the cyclocross bike and some technique, another day of riding, recovery, and the day before the race we usually do a little activation, pushing the body while getting to know the course of the next day's race. On race day, I get up in the morning, have breakfast, then go for a couple of laps on the course, and afterwards I warm up on the roller for about 30-40 minutes, with some short intervals to activate the body for the race.»
What products do you take?
Competition day:
- Iso Whey+ Glutamine + HMB during breakfast
- Isotonic Drink during the warm-up
- Energy Gel with caffeine 10 min before the start
- Recovery 3.1 PRO Recovery + BCAAs after the race
Intensive training / long training:
- Beta-Alanine during breakfast
- Isotonic Drink + Energy Bar during training
- Recovery 3.1 PRO Recovery + BCAAs + Iso Whey after training
- Sequential Protein at night
