The Impact of Diet Quality on Cycling Performance & Success

Can eating better can enhance both physical and mental performance?

…and your likeliness of achieving success.

Cyclists greatly emphasise nutrient timing, optimising macronutrient ratios and supplements, but often forget the actual value of eating better.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a topic that sells headlines – ‘yeah, we know that eating better is good for you; we’ve always known this’.

To emphasise this point, a 2020 study by Farina et al. examined the relationship between diet quality, physical performance and Special Forces selection.

The Special Forces Assessment & Selection (SFAS) is an arduous 19-20 day assessment course where candidate soldiers must complete extensive mental and physical challenges to be deemed successful; the failure rate is >50%.

During the SFAS, soldiers are restricted to their military rations, and therefore all foods are standardised and the same.

Therefore, the question is: does diet quality and improved nutrient status going into the assessment period improve success?

Of the 782 candidates tested, those with better eating habits and who consumed more higher-quality foods were more successful than those who followed lower-quality diets.

In this case, the soldiers consumed more vegetables, seafood, and plant proteins and ate fewer refined carbohydrates.

Diet quality likely influenced performance before SFAS by supporting nutritional needs during training and recovery, facilitating ideal body composition changes and contributing to adequate micro and macronutrient status.

Therefore, diet quality in the preparation phase can influence the success of the physical test – whether that’s for a Special Forces operative, a cyclist preparing for Tour de France, or for your bike packing trip this summer...

When all things skill and tactics are equal, it appears that having a better lifestyle and eating habits will improve your chances of success.

- Coach Chris