Froome’s top tips

Nutrition

It’s really important to eat well before and during a long ride. Froome does not subscribe to the idea of carbo loading, although carbohydrates form an important part of his diet.

“People say you should carbo load for three or four days before,” he said. “If you do that, you’re just going to start the race feeling bloated. Just keep it simple. We live off rice for three weeks during the Tour de France [he sometimes has rice for breakfast and even chomps on rice cakes while riding]. Eat lots of protein. Have decent-sized portions for breakfast, perhaps porridge [with rice mixed in] and eggs. Whatever you find gives you energy. Stay away from processed or fatty foods and stay away from salt.”

During the ride, eat little and often.

“If you miss one of the feeding points, you’re going to be playing catch-up. When the lights go out, you don’t just lose time, you can lose days of time.” Froome starts with “substantial” food such as energy bars and bananas — half a bar every 30 minutes — before recognising his body’s craving for sugars (gels, lollies, etc) for the final stages of a day’s ride.

Hydration

Sometimes you don’t feel like drinking but Froome emphasised just how crucial this is, whether it’s water or an electrolyte drink.

“I generally have a 500ml bottle every 30 minutes,” he said.

Sleep

The body needs time to recover, but it’s not always easy to get a good night’s sleep, especially as nerves kick in or the mind remembers all the little things that need to be done before hitting the start line.

“Loads of times before a big race, I can’t sleep. There was one night during the 2012 Tour de France when I got one hour’s sleep. The doctor said that, as long as I was in bed with my feet up, I was doing the right thing. I finished in the top five that day.”

Pacing yourself

It’s tempting to try to follow every breakaway or hitch a ride with that quick bunch flying along. But riders need to keep in mind just how long the race is and what is coming up. That was one of the main mistakes at L’etape Australia, as many pushed too hard in the first half of the race.

“Don’t get carried away early on. If you get to halfway and you’re feeling OK, then open it up.”