Sportive fuelling is one of the highest-leverage things an amateur cyclist can fix — and one of the most consistently under-done. Anthony has interviewed dozens of riders whose sportive performance shifted 15-25% in pace not because their FTP changed, but because they finally fuelled properly. The protocol below isn't extreme; it's the new amateur baseline.
Pre-ride: eat 2-3g of carbs per kg of bodyweight 2-3 hours before the start. For a 75kg rider, that's a 150-225g breakfast — porridge with banana and honey, plus toast and jam, plus a coffee. 30-60 minutes before the start, top up with 30-40g of fast carbs (a gel, a banana, a small flapjack). You're aiming to roll out with full glycogen and stable blood sugar.
In-ride: from minute 30, use a rehearsed 60-90g-per-hour carbohydrate range. Set a 25-30 minute reminder and mix tolerated sources. Plan drink access from representative rides and expected conditions, then audit body-mass change and symptoms afterward. Sodium needs depend on total sweat loss, sweat sodium, diet and event context; sweat volume alone does not produce one universal dose.
Post-ride matters too, especially if you're stacking efforts. Within 30-60 minutes of finishing, take 1-1.2g/kg of carbs plus 25-40g of protein. That accelerates glycogen replacement and starts muscle repair. The Roadman Fuelling Calculator gives the exact numbers for your weight, ride duration, and conditions. The Sportive Preparation guide adds the pacing context — fuelling and pacing are inseparable on long rides.