A new partnership for us in 2022 is the British UCI Continental team, Ribble Weldtite. We were invited out to their pre season training camp in Calpe. Read on for our insight into how they prepared for the fast approaching races.
We joined the Ribble Weldtite team on day 3 of the camp, the endurance day. The plan was a huge 180km loop into the mountains, with 2800m metres of ascent. For those that know the area, the loop headed out towards Denia before cutting back in land to the mountains. The biggest climb of the day being Puerto de Tudons.
With specific TTT efforts completed the day before, today was purely about getting the miles in the bank. The completed 5h45 in total, at an average of 32kph. No café stops included, only brief stops at the top of a few climbs to refresh bottles and slip some more Anytime Bars and Energy Gels into the back pockets.
SHOP ANYTIME BARS
Trial Race Nutrition
One of the specific aims of this session was to in fact practise race day nutrition. Our Super Carbs and Super Gels are some of the specific products that drew Ribble Weldtite to OTE. These high carb, high performance products will play a key role in helping the team achieve 80-100g of carbs per hour during racing. Practising the fuelling strategy in training helps to eliminate any uncertainty come race day.
– PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT
FEEDING FROM THE CAR
Another important area for the team to practise was coming back to the team car to collect bottles. Often in a race it’s one designated rider’s job to return to the team car behind the race. Here they will collect bottles for nearly all the team. Stuffing bottles in pockets and down your jersey is quite a skill, and something that requires practise in training.
Once the Ribble Weldtite riders returned back to the accommodation it was recovery drinks, showers then food before we then joined them for the team evening meal.
Why Energy Gels?
OTE energy gels are made up of multiple energy substrates (different types of sugar) which means the energy has multiple pathways into the body. Roughly you are looking at 10-15minutes before the energy from a gel is in the system and ready to be utilised. This is because its ingredients are so simple (just sugar) and easily processed. This isn’t the case for things like bananas and flapjacks, which still supply energy but are harder for the body to break down. When the intensity is high, an energy gel can be the quickest & easiest way to get carbohydrates in.
Shop Energy Gels
Training Camp Tips: Coping With The Increase In Training Load
Strategies to help maintain adequate energy supply will help you maximise the quality of training throughout your training camp. This is especially because you will most likely see a significant increase in training volume and load during the camp. Ensuring adequate energy supply and remaining hydrated will also help you enjoy the camp more. Whilst you may “get away” with minimal energy drinks and gels at home, you won’t get the most from your training camp if you under fuel during the intense training period.
As you will be doing much more exercise than usual, and on consecutive days you need to guard against progressive muscle glycogen depletion. At home it is likely that you can “make-up” for shortfalls in energy supply between training sessions. However with an increase in volume and intensity on a training camp you are less likely to have the opportunity to make up for any shortfalls. Unless you include an unscheduled rest-day. This means ensuring you take adequate energy on board and remain hydrated before, during and after each day’s training. And pay even more attention to hydration and fuelling if training multiple times a day.
Recovery Day
Day 4 of the Ribble Weldtite camp was an easy day which involved a spin to the Mussette café in Alcalali for a well deserved coffee and slice of cake. Active recovery days are an important part of a hard training block. Keep the legs moving can help flush out lactic acid in the legs, loosen the muscles and can actually make it easier to resume hard training again the next day. Easier days are also an important time for the riders to maximise nutrition for recovery. Products like our Hydro Tabs, Anytime Bars and Protein Bars helped play a key role in recovery, by promoting rehydration, topping up glycogen stores and helping the muscles to repair.
Training Camp Tips: Coping With The Heat
Since most training destinations are warmer than the UK, the best combination for long days in the saddle or running should include Energy Drink and Hydro Tabs . This helps keep you fuelled and hydrated, backed up with Energy Gels or Anytime Bars during longer sessions. More often than not you will be able to pick up additional water whilst out on the bike. However it’s not always convenient to be mixing additional drinks.
Gels are the ideal way to provide extra energy boost. While water will help keep you hydrated once your energy drink runs out, an OTE Energy Gel will provide an additional 20g of carbohydrate. You should aim to take between 60g-90g of carbohydrate for each hour of exercise.
Each Anytime Bar provides around 40g of carbohydrate and is a perfect go to on or off bike snack. Or why not try our race day bar called the Duo Bar. Designed to light on the stomach and easy-to-eat when the pace is on.
Make sure you stock up on energy products before you leave the country if the venue you are going to does not sell your favourite OTE products.
– Team Ribble Weldtite
Product Picks
Training Camp Tips: Speeding Up Recovery
Research shows that the right combination of protein and carbohydrate will speed up your muscle glycogen stores faster than carbohydrate alone. OTE Recovery is the ideal post exercise drink. Each serving delivers 25g of protein and has sufficient carbohydrate, electrolytes and vitamins to ensure you maximise your recovery. Importantly it will also help speed up your adaptation to the increased training load. If you don’t feed yourself within 30 minutes of finishing exercise the whole body starts to slow down. Enzyme activity falls which makes it difficult to recover if additional hard training is to be carried out on the same or following day.
OTE offer two recovery drink options! A Whey & Casein blend and Soya protein formula which is suitable for vegetarians and those who need a lactose and gluten free recovery drink