Ever wondered what a Tour de France rider eats in a day?

Andy Schleck’s photo gives us a look at the breakfast of champions. And lunch and dinner too …

YOU DON’T NEED me to tell you that the Tour de France is one of the toughest tests of sporting endurance.

Over three gruelling weeks, those brave or foolhardy enough to take part spend about 90 hours in the saddle with little time for rest and recovery.

Naturally, a Tour rider’s diet is hugely important. But what exactly do the cyclists eat in a day?

Thanks to last year’s runner-up Andy Schleck, who tweeted this photo last night, we now have some idea.

At a guess, the daily menu for a top professional cyclist looks something like this:

Meat (ham and turkey)
Fish (tuna steak)
Dairy (yoghurts and cheese)
Fruit (apple, peach, plum, raspberries, figs)
Vegetables (potatoes, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, avocado)
Nuts
Porridge, bread, pasta, rice
A whole lot of olive oil
Energy gels

Nice …

This is what 15 years of Tour de France cycling can do to your leg>

Author

Niall Kelly

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