Bobby Julich's Pursuit of Performance: Part 3

During the first two parts of Bobby Julich's Pursuit of Performance, we explored the results of his first four of six weeks of riding. Bobby has been testing fueling methods where he trains with various fuel and monitors his glucose.

A little bit about Bobby, if you don’t already know who he is: as a professional cyclist who competed in the Tour de France and just graced the edge of the podium, he is now retired…but certainly didn’t leave the world of cycling. As a columnist for Velo, a podcast host, and a host for weekly Zwift rides, he's constantly pushing the boundaries of performance and metabolism optimization along with sharing new opportunities with the cycling world.

For six weeks, Bobby was testing new sources of fuel from The Feed each week. First, he tested two different types of hydration, then he tested two different gels, and for the final two weeks, he tested two different chews. Let’s see his results.

Week 1:

First up, Bobby fueled with Enervit Carbo Tropical Fruit Chewable Gel on a Level 1 60 minute ride.

Priming Meal: 9:00 a.m. or 3 hrs prior to workout

• 1 everything bagel with peanut butter, cream cheese, and apricot preserves

• Coffee with half and half and monk fruit as a sweetener

Fueling strategy: ½ pack of chews at 0min, 15min, 30min, and 45min

• 60g of carbs per hour in the form of 2 x ENERVIT Carbo Chewable Gels

• 1 x 750ml bottle of water

Comments:  

“I felt very good with light legs and was able to sustain a high rpm throughout the workout. I hadn’t used this product before, but it tasted good and was easy to eat, though glucose levels seemed to be all over the place. I consumed 15g of carbs at 0-min, 15-min, 30-min, 45-min for a total of 60g per hour.”

Week 2:

Next on the agenda: Precision Fuel and Hydration Carb Chews for a Level 2 90 minute ride.

Priming Meal: 9:00 a.m. or 3 hrs prior to workout

• 1 large English muffin with peanut butter and apricot preserves, 2 fried eggs, 2 pieces of turkey sausage, and 1 avocado with olive oil 

• Coffee with half and half and monk fruit as sweetener

Fueling strategy: ½ chew every 10 minutes

• Slightly over 90g of carbs/hour (145g total) in the form of 4.5 x packet of Precision Chews

• 1 x 750ml + 1 x 500ml bottle of water (normal sips every 5 minutes)

Comments:  

“I felt very good during this effort from start to finish again. I was able to sustain high rpms through all the efforts of +/-95rpm and it was very comfortable. It was a bit difficult to eat these chews when I was in the middle of an effort, but I liked the taste of them.

I didn’t experience stomach issues, but I think I will stay away from sugar therest of the day. The package is a little hard to open, so cut them with scissors before the ride starts. 

*Note: I have completed 6 weeks of these rides, so I may be adapting to them from a fitness level.”

After 6 weeks of testing, Bobby was able to find a few products that worked well for him and some that worked a little less well for him, but his search is far from over! 

If you have the ability, testing fuel in a controlled environment as Bobby does can be a great way to find what works for you. It might not be what works for every athlete, but it gives you insight into what you can rely on.

If you have any questions on products to try or how a product is affecting you, you can reach out to our coaching team at coaching@thefeed.com.