Before the flag drops
Breakfast, bottles and early-stage carbs are planned around the first decisive section, not just the start time.
Tour de France fuel guide
Explore the route, discover the brands used by pro teams, and shop the nutrition collections powering the biggest race in cycling.
Stage explorer
4 July 2026
Stage 1Opening team time trial around Barcelona and Montjuic.
About the riders
Grand Tour nutrition is not just gels in pockets. Riders move between drink mix, bars, rice cakes, electrolytes, caffeine and recovery products depending on the stage profile, heat and team plan.
Breakfast, bottles and early-stage carbs are planned around the first decisive section, not just the start time.
Flat stages lean on steady intake; mountain days demand frequent carbs, sodium and caffeine at key moments.
Recovery starts immediately with fluids, carbohydrate and protein so riders can repeat the effort the next day.
Secret nutrition
Beyond gels and bottles, elite riders use targeted performance products for buffering, cramp support, sodium replacement and high-pressure race moments.
Organic 60ml shot developed from Karolinska Institutet and GIH Stockholm research. Take 3 hours before key sessions or races to help prepare the body for hard efforts.
Shop Nomio Buffering systemUsed around hard efforts where riders want extra support for repeated high-intensity surges.
Shop Bicarb Cramp protocolA sharp, practical option riders may turn to when cramp risk and race stress climb.
Find Pickle JuiceTeams using these products
Use this quick index to see which teams connect to each brand collection on the page.
Brands / Teams
Hover each block to see the teams using the brand, then jump straight into the collection.
Team collection
Shop Enervit nutrition for energy, hydration and recovery routines inspired by the demands of Grand Tour racing.
Team collection
Precision Fuel & Hydration products are built around measured carbohydrate, fluid and sodium strategies for long days, hot stages and hard racing.
Team collection
Explore 226ERS gels, drink mixes and race-day nutrition for riders who need simple, repeatable fuelling across varied terrain.
Team collection
Science in Sport brings practical carbohydrate, hydration and recovery options for structured training blocks and event-day plans.
Team collection
Amacx covers high-carb drink mixes, gels and bars for riders who want a clear fuelling system from training rides through race day.
Race-day thinking
From punchy Barcelona roads to back-to-back Alpe d'Huez finishes, the Tour is a rolling lab for carbohydrate, sodium and caffeine strategy.
FAQ
Quick answers for riders building their own race-day nutrition plan.
Elite riders often aim high because the workload is huge, commonly building towards 90g to 120g carbohydrate per hour when their gut is trained for it. Most everyday riders should test lower amounts first and build gradually.
Drink mix can deliver carbohydrate and electrolytes without extra chewing, which helps on climbs, in hot weather, and when riders need steady intake from the team car or feed zone.
Gels and chews are useful before decisive climbs, late in a stage, or when a rider wants a measured hit of carbohydrate or caffeine. The best format is the one tested repeatedly in training.
Sodium helps replace sweat losses and supports fluid balance. Needs vary by rider, temperature and sweat rate, so a hot mountain stage can need a very different plan to a cooler time trial.
Use pro habits as inspiration, not a prescription. Start with your ride duration, intensity and gut tolerance, then practise your plan before event day.