In two weeks it is happening: on Sunday 15 November 2026 the Kärcher Duo Xtreme is on the programme, the biggest mountain bike event of Curaçao. With a short route of 45 kilometres and a long route of 69 kilometres you will be out there for quite a few hours. And then there is one question that is almost as important as your training: what about your nutrition on the way?
Researchers from, among others, Liverpool John Moores University investigated how often you should eat while cycling. They had twenty recreationally active men cycle for three hours twice. During one session they took in 22.5 grams of carbohydrates every fifteen minutes, during the other session 45 grams every thirty minutes. In both cases that amounted to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
The outcome was striking: it barely mattered whether the participants ate every fifteen or thirty minutes. Carbohydrate burning, heart rate and fat burning were virtually the same and stomach and intestinal complaints did not differ either. So you can largely adapt your eating moments to your own preference.
How much do you need? For longer rides, 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour is often advised. For very long, intensive efforts such as the long route of the Duo Xtreme, 90 grams or more can be useful, provided your stomach and intestines tolerate it well. So practise this in advance during your training rides and do not try it for the first time on the day itself.
The most important lesson: do not wait until you are completely empty. Make sure you take in carbohydrates regularly on the way, but an alarm that goes off every fifteen minutes is really not necessary. A little flexibility is fine, as long as you get enough fuel.
Want to know more about the research? Read the full article via the button below.