"...Good habits after the stage are also critical to overcoming fatigue in a long stage race. Riders consume a recovery drink or shake immediately after getting off their bikes to accelerate the recovery process. This drink contains both carbohydrate and protein, but it’s richer in carbohydrate because that’s the primary fuel they need in order to replenish depleted energy stores in their muscles. The protein is a necessary element of the drink, however, because riders need it for repairing muscle and it also seems to accelerate the replenishment of carbohydrate stores. The recovery drink is followed – hopefully within about an hour – by a full meal that’s also rich in both carbohydrate and protein.

Post-race massage is also very helpful for speeding the recovery process between stages and making tomorrow’s race a bit easier. There’s some debate as to whether massage actually helps flush metabolic wastes from muscles, but the friction and compression experienced during a massage brings more blood into the muscles and that is definitely beneficial for bringing nutrients and carrying away waste products. In addition, massage helps keep muscles supple and keeps them from staying in a shortened state. Tight muscles limit a rider’s range of motion, and that in turn reduces power output, so massage is an important part of preserving a rider’s ability to perform at his best the following day.

Beyond nutrition and massage, hydration and sleep are the final keys to maximizing recovery throughout the race – and particularly during this difficult portion of the event. It’s rare to see a rider without a bottle of fluids during the evening or in the morning before the next stage begins. They’ll consume water and sports drinks right up they go to bed, which is often between 9 and 11 pm. This may seem like a relatively late bedtime, but remember that the stages typically begin in the late morning and riders wake up around 8am. This gives them anywhere from 9 to 11 hours of sleep, which is perfect for between-stage recovery."