What Tour de France riders are eating and drinking immediately after racing

All meals are important for the riders competing in Tour de France, one of the world's most grueling endurance events. But the one eaten immediately after racing five hours is the most critical to recovery and rehydration, and therefore performance. In a short window of about an hour, the cyclists have an opportunity to refuel their bodies after a taxing effort and to get ready for the next stage.

At cycling's highest level, nutrition has evolved with the bikes and gear. The American Cannondale-Drapac team, for instance, has a dedicated nutritionist and two full-time chefs at the Tour who prepare and monitor everything the riders consume during the three-week race. And all the food and drink they consume — up to 8,000 calories' worth daily — is based on the latest findings in sports science nutrition.

Minutes after each stage, when refueling is so critical, riders down a protein-rich recovery drink and a liter of diluted pineapple juice before eating a dish with an animal protein and rice and quinoa. All that before their actual dinner.

Here's what the Cannondale-Drapac riders are eating and drinking after each stage of the world's biggest bike race:

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Within minutes after each stage, when refueling is critical, riders begin the recovery and rehydration process. They start by downing a protein-rich recovery drink, as rookie Tour rider Lawson Craddock of Texas does here.

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But it all starts before the riders finish, with Andrea "Biso" Bisogno of Italy. He drives the Cannondale-Drapac bus and also prepares the recovery drinks and meals that the riders will consume on the drive to the hotel. British nutritionist Nigel Mitchell plans everything the riders will eat and drink in this critical hour or two, when nutrition is most important.

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Biso starts with one-liter bottles of water, which the riders start drinking right after each stage. Mitchell told Business Insider that riders consume 10 liters of fluid each day on the Tour — that's 2.6 gallons or 18 imperial pints.

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