Cycling is an energy-intensive sport. Even amateur cyclists need to pay attention to nutrition to ensure their bodies have enough energy to sustain long efforts.
However, professional cyclists are in a completely different league when it comes to energy expenditure.
Professional cyclists face grueling training sessions and races that are not only longer and more challenging but also performed at higher intensities. As a result, they burn an extraordinary number of calories.
To get an idea of just how many calories professional cyclists burn, let’s look at energy expenditure at the Tour de France and One-Day Classics races.
Calories Burned at the Tour de France
As a 21-stage race with varying terrains, the Tour de France is prime example of extreme energy consumption during cycling, and how calorie burn fluctuates dramatically depending on terrain.
- Flat Stages: These are the least demanding in terms of calorie burn. Cyclists typically expend around 4,000 kcal per flat stage, although factors like wind, stage length, and elevation can increase this number.
- Hilly Stages: Hilly stages require more effort than flat stages. However, the some “hilly stages” have easier profiles and are comparable with flat stages whereas others are very tough. As a result, cyclists typically burn anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 kcal, depending on the difficulty.
- Mountain Stages: These are most demanding stages in a Tour de France. It's typical for Queen Stages to have around 4,500 meters of climbing, which requires a huge amount of energy. Cyclists can burn 7,000 kcal by the time they’ve completed one of these stages.
Total Calories Burned during Tour de France
On average, cyclists burn around 5,000 kcal per stage, resulting in a staggering 105,000 kcal over the entire three-week race. With each stage lasting about five hours, that’s an average of 1,000 kcal per hour.
For perspective, the average person burns between 2,500 and 3,000 kcal per day. In just a few hours, professional cyclists expend as much energy as most people do in an entire day.
Energy Consumption at One-Day Classics
While they don’t require the multi-week endurance performance of the Tour de France, One-Day Classics also require a huge amount of energy.
The routes of One-Day Classics differ significantly—some have longer distances, steeper climbs, or tough terrain like cobblestone sections. But, these differences generally balance out, so the final number of calories burned per race is similar.
As result, cyclists typically burn around 6,000 kcal during one of the five largest one-day races, also known as Monuments.
Impact of Extreme Conditions
Weather and course conditions can dramatically affect how many calories are burned. For example, the 2021 Paris-Roubaix took place in the rain for the first time in 16 years. The course turned into a mud bath, which forced the riders to expend even more energy. On average, they burned 7,145 kcal, which is 1,000 kcal more than in 2019 when the race was dry.
How Do Cyclists Fuel During Races?
Fueling at this level is no small feat. Cyclists will carb load before races to up their energy reserves. However, these reserves are not large enough to provide their bodies with energy for the entire race. To maintain performance, professional cyclists typically consume 400–500 kcal per hour during the races.
The optimal fuel for endurance athletes is a blend of glucose and fructose in a 1:0.8 ratio, which maximizes carbohydrate absorption and minimizes gastrointestinal distress. Popular race-day fueling options include energy gels, drinks, and bars designed to deliver this precise mix of nutrients.
Post-race, cyclists focus on replenishing their glycogen stores to recover and prepare for their next effort.
For more on optimal fuel intake, read our Fueling Guide and Recovery Guide.