Mavr Sports Nutrition Team
Updated September 28, 2026. 9 min read.
Fuel cycling races by targeting 60–90 g carbs/hour, mixing drink bottles and gels based on duration, and practicing your strategy 3–4 times before race day.
You've put in the miles. Your base is solid. Your intervals are done.
Now the question is: can you fuel it?
Cycling races, from hour-long criteriums to 200K gran fondos, demand different nutrition strategies. Get it wrong, and all that training disappears in a bonk. Get it right, and you'll surprise yourself with what you can do.
Let's break down nutrition by race length:
| Distance | Duration | Carb Target | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criterium / 50K | 1–1.5 hrs | Optional | Pre-race meal only |
| Road Race / 100K | 2.5–4 hrs | 40–60 g/hr | Bottles + 2–3 gels |
| Century / 160K | 4–6 hrs | 60–80 g/hr | Full race plan |
| Double Century / 200K+ | 6–10 hrs | 80–90 g/hr | Max absorption |
Fueling a long event starts before race morning. Use the last six days to top up glycogen:
T-6 to T-4
Nutrition FocusNormal fueling with quality carbs
GoalSupport your final key sessions
T-3 to T-2
Nutrition FocusRaise carbs to 6–8 g/kg body weight
GoalStart topping up glycogen
T-1
Nutrition Focus8–10 g carbs/kg, lower fiber
GoalArrive full but comfortable
| Day | Nutrition Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| T-6 to T-4 | Normal fueling with quality carbs | Support your final key sessions |
| T-3 to T-2 | Raise carbs to 6–8 g/kg body weight | Start topping up glycogen |
| T-1 | 8–10 g carbs/kg, lower fiber | Arrive full but comfortable |
Eat familiar, carb-forward meals, keep protein steady, and do not try new foods this week. Go easy on heavy fiber and fat on the last day so your gut is calm at the start.
Timing and composition matter:
Pro tip: Eat the same breakfast you eat before training rides. Race day is not the time for experiments.
If your race is under 90 minutes and intensity is high, you probably don't need to fuel during the race.
This is where the work starts. You'll be on the bike 2.5–6 hours, and glycogen depletion is real.
Example for a 100K race:
Pre-race
FuelOatmeal + banana + sports drink
Carbs80 g
Hour 1
FuelBottle 1 (carb drink) + gel at 30 min
Carbs60 g
Hour 2
FuelBottle 2 + 2 gels
Carbs75 g
Hour 3+
FuelBottle 3 + gels as needed
Carbs60+ g/hr
| Time | Fuel | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-race | Oatmeal + banana + sports drink | 80 g |
| Hour 1 | Bottle 1 (carb drink) + gel at 30 min | 60 g |
| Hour 2 | Bottle 2 + 2 gels | 75 g |
| Hour 3+ | Bottle 3 + gels as needed | 60+ g/hr |
These events are as much about eating as they are about riding. Your goal is maximum carb absorption without GI distress.
Know the event:
Pro tip: Carry at least one backup bottle and 2–3 gels even in supported events. Aid stations can run out, and you can't control the course.
A century or gran fondo empties your glycogen. Start refueling within two hours of the finish:
Use carb drinks, chews, waffles, rice cakes, or even candy. The source doesn't matter. The carbs do.
Plan what you'll take from each station. Grab bottles, skip crowds, and keep moving. Practice grabbing bottles while riding.
Yes. Many cyclists tolerate solid food well, especially on long rides. Test in training first.
Yes. Enter your race distance and Mavr builds an hour-by-hour fueling plan with exact targets.
Eat the same carb-forward breakfast you use before long training rides, 3–4 hours before the start. A small top-up like a banana or sports drink closer to the start is fine if you have practiced it.
Steady carbs from drink mix, gels, chews, bars, or real food, starting in the first 20 minutes. Add fluid and sodium every hour, not only water.
Most riders aim for 60–80 g per hour on a century, and up to 90 g on longer or harder days once the gut is trained.
Carbs to restore glycogen, protein for repair, and fluids plus sodium to replace sweat losses. A snack right away and then a real meal works well for most riders.
For a long gran fondo, yes. Raise carbs over the final 2–3 days, reaching about 8–10 g/kg the day before, with familiar foods, and go easy on fiber and fat.
General guidance for healthy adults, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian if you have a health condition, take medicines or have special dietary needs.
Ask Mavr: "Create a race-day nutrition plan for my cycling event."
Ask Kai, the coach in the app