Fueling pro cyclists isn’t just about science—it’s a daily balancing act between data, human behavior, and the chaos of life on the road. This is something that Nicki Strobel, nutritionist and chef to Israel-Premier Tech, knows well.
In an Nduranz podcast episode, we spoke with Nicki to learn what his job really looks like. You might not have your own nutritionist-chef, but there’s still a lot to learn from Nicki’s experience feeding the fastest cyclists in the world.
Balancing Two Roles: Nutritionist and Chef
Most cycling teams have a nutritionist and a chef.
Nicki does both.
In his role as nutritionist, he assesses the riders’ needs and monitors body composition to create personalized nutrition plans for each rider. Much of it is done remotely, though some is in-person, such as at training camps.
Nicki notes that this role doesn’t have a place at races, because the nutrition work should be done before race day.
As a chef, Nicki translates his nutrition plans into real meals, prepares food for the team, adapts to what’s available at local markets, and adjusts meals based on what the riders feel like eating that day.
Taste vs. Performance
Nicki’s dual role gives him and the team a unique edge—because chefs and nutritionists often have different goals.
Nicki says that most chefs have a goal of making riders happy: they have a service mentality and want to make food that the riders will enjoy, so focus on taste. By contrast, nutritionists are focused on numbers and results.
This difference can sometimes cause tension.
“I’ve seen chefs who don’t give a damn what the nutritionist says. If something needs more butter, then it needs more butter.”
But because Nicki understands the goals of both professions—taste and performance—he can balance the two roles.
“I think a lot of teams would improve their food offering if they educated both chefs and nutritionists to better appreciate the work that each profession does. Having both sides of the table in my mind, it makes it easier for me to understand why we're doing what we're doing.”
What’s the hardest day as a chef? For Nicki, it's time trials. "You're just sitting waiting to cook 300 grams of rice and two eggs. Then you wait another hour and do it again."
Riders Are Taking Nutrition More Seriously
It used to be common for riders to have beer or wine at dinner—Nicki even had some riders ask for beer in their bidons on their final stage!
Things are different now.
“Riders are just more educated. A lot of them have seen that nutrition is a key part of their performance. Whereas before, if you could ride your bike, you could win bike races, but now you need to pay a bit more attention to detail.”
That change has made Nicki’s job easier, and he doesn’t have to worry about riders asking for beer in their bidons anymore!
Nutrition Awareness Is a Double-Edged Sword
While it’s great that riders are taking nutrition more seriously, it does have a downside: everyone has their own opinion—and not all of them are based on science.
“You'll have a lot of people with their own opinions about what's right and what's wrong. And a lot of people don’t keep those opinions to themselves.”
That’s partly because, as Nicki points out, everyone eats and has a relationship with food. But many of these opinions are based on social media snippets taken wildly out of context.
He gives the example of Chris Froome posting a picture of an omelet before a race. People jumped to the conclusion that Froome was having a low-carbohydrate breakfast before a big stage race. What they didn’t see was the 400 grams of pasta he had eaten prior to the omelet.
Situations like these make Nicki’s job as a nutritionist much more difficult, as he must navigate misinformation and manage riders' expectations.
Dealing with Emotions Is Part of the Job
After a hard race, riders are tired and emotional—and that can mean they lash out.
“They're very tired and you can see that it's hard on them, so sometimes they find little things to focus on. And sometimes that can be the food.”
Nicki says that this can be very challenging, especially when he knows he got the meals right, but a rider decided to blame the food.
He gives the example of Italians and their focus on pasta. If a rider doesn’t feel well, he will decide it was because the pasta was undercooked or overcooked.
In the end, food becomes an easy target—and that means Nicki often has to take the blame.
Flexibility Is Key
Nicki knows that, if food isn’t enjoyable, it becomes another burden on the riders. That is why he doesn’t want to be the “mean nutritionist who says you aren’t allowed to eat this and that.”
Instead, he adjusts the plan.
For example, the nutrition plan might have rice for breakfast. But one rider hates rice for breakfast. In this situation, Nicki might give him a glass of juice instead.
“Because of my knowledge, we can swap it for something that the rider actually enjoys. That's a big benefit. It can save their day that they didn't have to eat another 200 grams of rice.”
The Social Side of Food Matters
While it isn’t always possible because of logistics, Nicki tries to serve all team members their dinner at the same time. The meal then becomes a time where riders can unwind, catch up, and talk about the stage without sports directors or coaches being present.
This social aspect of eating together comes with real benefits. The team becomes closer, works together more effectively, and is less likely to experience infighting.
“The more successful teams over the past few years are definitely the ones having fun at the table.”
Want to hear more from Nicki, including tips on how to fine-tune your nutrition? Listen to the Nduranz podcast episode.