UCI Sports Nutrition Project: Position Statement on Nutrition for Cycling

Nutrition is a key determinant of cycling performance, underpinning the ability to optimize on-bike performance, support training adaptation and recovery, and maintain rider health and well-being. While these goals are shared across disciplines, the diverse physiological demands and logistical constraints of different cycling disciplines present distinct nutritional challenges. In recognition of both the importance of nutrition and the diverse individual and discipline-specific demands of cycling, the Union Cycliste Internationale Sports Nutrition Project was established and led by a steering committee that synthesized the expertise of 54 researchers to identify key nutritional requirements for elite cycling and develop recommendations that account for both individual and discipline-specific needs. These insights were published within a series of 14 topic-specific reviews. In this position statement, we present the principal take-home messages from the overall project, organized into 10 overarching themes spanning performance preparation, in-competition fueling, recovery and adaptation, energy availability, physique management, protecting against illness and injury, technological support, the use of supplements and sports foods, and age- and sex-specific considerations. Cycling-specific considerations are used to develop targeted nutritional recommendations within each of these themes, and high-priority future research directions are identified.