Tour De France 2021
This year’s tour runs from 26th June 2021 to 18th July and promises to be as exciting as ever!
The tour will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3, 414, .4 km.
It will incorporate; 8 flat stages; 5 hilly stages; 6 mountain stages; 2 individual time trial stages and 2 rest days.
As always during the Tour series, cycling fever will be running high!
From riders competing in the Tour to people cycling for the pure enjoyment, it is essential to be properly hydrated before and during a race/ride and to ensure you recover properly afterwards.
Ensuring you stay hydrated is not only necessary for your body to function correctly, it is also fundamental for you to stay focused; a 2% loss in hydration equals a 10% loss in performance. This could be the difference in finishing in a podium place!
We all know physical activity is thirsty work, and how it leaves us feeling when we become dehydrated. Dehydration occurs due to a loss of fluid from the body (through sweating, perspiration and urination) which is not being replaced as quickly as it is being lost, causing you to become tired and fatigued. This then affects your performance levels,
When exercising our bodies lose fluids through perspiration. We not only lose water when we exercise, we also lose important minerals (also known as electrolytes) such as potassium, chloride and sodium.
Having the correct hydration is the key to powering on, tackling hills or winning the race. That success comes from taking the Direct Nutrition Elite Hydrate. This is a tried and tested formula used by athletes for over 10 years. This drink mix contains an electrolyte blend that includes those lost minerals so taking the Elite Hydrate enables the riders to replenish their body's water and electrolyte levels when training and racing.
Here are just a few comments about the Elite Hydrate and why riders like it so much!
SL: “Elite hydrate berry mix is the bomb! During a race Elite Hydrate Berry is my preferred flavour to drink but I have one water one berry hydrate during training and the last part with that keeps energy levels tip top.
LS: “Elite Hydrate Zesty Lemon & Lime is probably the best on the bike hydration drink I have ever used! Not only does it taste great but it's so refreshing and doesn't leave you with any more thirst or a horrible aftertaste that so many of these products can do. It’s a reliable and great tasting product.
KD: Being properly hydrated is absolutely critical and DN Elite Hydrate Orange allows me to have proper hydration of the body during riding.
So you’ve been properly hydrated and riding for hours, battled the hills, powered through the race and sprinted across the finish to take the yellow jersey! You have pushed your body and muscles to their limits, now your recovery is key!
Post-race/workout is the crucial time to replenish your bodies Glycogen levels, to stop muscles from breaking down as well as repair and re-build them. The critical time or ‘post workout opportunity window’ to take your recovery product is the first 30 minutes immediately after your race, training or exercise.
This is when you should take Direct Nutrition Elite Post Workout Restore and Replenish. This has been specifically formulated to include a Phase Release Carbohydrate Blend (Hydrolysed Waxy Maize Starch, Dextrose & Maltodextrin); a Vital-Flex Blend (Collagen Hydrolysate); Glutamine Complex Blend (Glutamine Peptides, L-Glutamine); Creatine Monohydrate and BCAA 2:1:1 (L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine).
We have also encompassed a Vitamin and Mineral Premix containing Electrolyte Blend and Vitamins. Remember the hydrate information about our bodies losing important minerals as well as fluid through perspiration (electrolytes)? Well, losing these essential vitamins and minerals (such as Potassium, Chloride, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Iron and Sodium) can have consequences such as muscle cramps and fatigue. Direct Nutrition Elite Post Workout has the right amount of the above minerals to replenish what our body needs by helping muscle recovery, reducing Cramps and Fatigue. It is also proven that Magnesium and Iron contribute to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, that Calcium and Phosphorus contribute to normal energy yielding metabolism and that Chloride contributes to normal digestion by production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Tour de France riders and competitors know exactly how important recovery is to their training, racing and winning! Below are some of the comments we have received about the Direct Nutrition Post Workout Restore & Replenish;
AH: I like all the Direct Nutrition range and I'm not easily pleased when it comes to nutrition so that's an indication of how great the products are. If I had to pick one product as a favourite I'd say the Elite Post Workout Restore and Replenish recovery shake, it mixes well, tastes great and most of all is effective at getting recovery started as soon as the hard work is done, a shake after training and racing leaves me with no muscle soreness the following day.
BM: the Post Workout Restore & Replenish has everything you need to make a solid start to recovering after a hard session on the bike. Strawberry flavours tastes great too!
GP: For me, the best thing about DN Post Workout Restore and Replenish is the inclusion of important vitamins and minerals that the body craves after a hard training session or race. I actually mix this with milk, instead of water, as this seems to be even better for my recovery. I take this as soon as possible after training or when I’ve raced.
IW; I just love the Post Workout Restore & Replenish recovery drink. It’s sometimes hard to get the right nutrition in straight after a hard effort but the Direct Nutrition products makes it easy because they are so tasty!
Whether you’re aiming to be the next yellow jersey winner or king of the mountains or just cycling for pure enjoyment, remember that hydration and recovery are essential!
