Professional cyclists drinking coke

Con41

Just curious - I've noticed that professional cyclists drink coke to quench their thirst. I would have thought that they would only drink energy drinks. Any idea why - stupid question I know but just curious!!!

IM0

when you spend 5 hours a day drinking energy drinks and popping gels youll realise

happyoutscan

IM0 wrote: »

when you spend 5 hours a day drinking energy drinks and popping gels youll realise

I'm curious too and you haven't answered the ops question? I'm assuming sugar?

Darkglasses

It's very tasty, full of sugar and more importantly, caffeine. And it's easy on the stomach, which can feel a bit dodgy after a few gels and bars and stuff.

Eamonnator

Because ice cold Coke tastes good.

IM0

happyoutscan wrote: »

I'm curious too and you haven't answered the ops question? I'm assuming sugar?

I meant drinking sports drinks and popping gels and eating fake bars all day eventually makes you feel yucky, you get sic of it and coke is a nice change too full of sugar, gives you a nice lift. its a psyhchological thing mostly

Brian?

It's nice. Really nice. The fizz is really nice on a dry mouth.

Also Coke sponsor the Tour so it's the only fizzy drink they can hand out.

IM0

Brian? wrote: »

It's nice. Really nice. The fizz is really nice on a dry mouth.

Also Coke sponsor the Tour so it's the only fizzy drink they can hand out.

I doubt that somehow, its not like any other products the riders consume is strictly controlled by the tour, unless youre talking about the red bottles? thats not coke in it its just branding with a bottle full of their usual water, the only coke they have are those small little cans occasionally when they are in the break usually

moby2101

After 5 - 6 hours in a hunched over position your stomach "flattens"..

A fizzy drink "blows" out your stomach to its proper size..

ThisRegard

Darkglasses wrote: »

It's very tasty, full of sugar and more importantly, caffeine.

Absolutely, nothing better than an ice cold can of coke when you're really out on your feet, particularly in hot weather.

Edit, luckily I read my post over before posting, autocorrect substituted come for coke, now that would have been embarrassing.

bazermc

Con41 wrote: »

Just curious - I've noticed that professional cyclists drink coke to quench their thirst. I would have thought that they would only drink energy drinks. Any idea why - stupid question I know but just curious!!!

Simple coke is an energy drink!

Captain Havoc

I heard on some programme it's just for the mind, I'd say gels and powder mixtures must drive racers demented every day.

dastardly00

IM0 wrote: »

I doubt that somehow, its not like any other products the riders consume is strictly controlled by the tour, unless youre talking about the red bottles? thats not coke in it its just branding with a bottle full of their usual water, the only coke they have are those small little cans occasionally when they are in the break usually

The red bottles available on the motorbikes are Vittel water.

I saw a rider drinking Fanta at the end of a stage, although that is made by Coca-Cola.

petethedrummer

Con41 wrote: »

Just curious - I've noticed that professional cyclists drink coke to quench their thirst. I would have thought that they would only drink energy drinks. Any idea why - stupid question I know but just curious!!!

its all sugary water. coke is the nicest of the sugary waters.

velopeloton

When it's hot, there is nothing better than a cold coke. Plus all that sugar and caffeine gives you a real boost. If I'm doing any big climbs in the heat along with two bidons I take a can of coke or sometimes fill one of the bidons with coke.

Bugsy2000

When running marathons & ultras we'd often arrange to have bottles of flat Coke positioned late in the course.

When your body is flagging there's nothing better for a kick than the sugar & caffeine rush from Coke (and you don't need to be dealing with the fizz at that stage).

XtotheZ

replace depleted glycogen stores with all the suger in it

NS77

I read somewhere that some teams give their riders soft drinks like this because they're full of phosphates which help aid recovery....

feck sake lads

us auld guys have been using coke as an energy drink this past 30 years
half coke half water pinch salt.:cool:

Ole Rodrigo

feck sake lads wrote: »

us auld guys have been using coke as an energy drink this past 30 years
half coke half water pinch salt.:cool:

Jaysus. Eye of a toad too ?

magicbastarder

dastardly00 wrote: »

I saw a rider drinking Fanta at the end of a stage, although that is made by Coca-Cola.

can't remember if it's fanta or club orange, but one of those two is about one and a half times as sugary as coke; a coke can is 139 calories, but fanta or club is aroun 190 or 200 i think.

worth reading up about the history of fanta too.

String

I'm pretty sure its flat coke as fizzy coke would surely do them more harm than good in the middle of a race.

ThisRegard

How would they flatten it, they get unopened cans don't they? Yesterday I saw a rider take a can from a spectator, crack it open and glug it down.

RobFowl

Tastes nice and has sugar and caffeine. Ideal at the tail end of a hot stage. suspect its as simpe as that.

String

ThisRegard wrote: »

How would they flatten it, they get unopened cans don't they? Yesterday I saw a rider take a can from a spectator, crack it open and glug it down.

I'm sure coca cola would supply flat coke canned to professional teams. Its not unusual for professional teams to get special treatment from corporations like coca cola. We see them drinking it, free marketing, which this post proves. Also I doubt that was a spectator, it was probably a team helper.

It could be fizzy but I wouldn't think that's a good idea considering the effects it would have on the stomach which I think would affect them more than help.

ThisRegard

Nah, pretty sure it was a spectator, she was offering it to anyone who wanted it. The fizziness is part of what makes it refreshing, I'd be surprised if they had a separate line of non carbonated coke but who knows.

The tax man

ThisRegard wrote: »

Nah, pretty sure it was a spectator, she was offering it to anyone who wanted it. The fizziness is part of what makes it refreshing, I'd be surprised if they had a separate line of non carbonated coke but who knows.

Spotted that myself and iirc it looked like a larger can than the standard 330ml.

ThisRegard

Yeah, it was a regular sized 500ml or whatever it is, not one of the mini ones.

Jawgap

NS77 wrote: »

I read somewhere that some teams give their riders soft drinks like this because they're full of phosphates which help aid recovery....

magicbastarder wrote: »

can't remember if it's fanta or club orange, but one of those two is about one and a half times as sugary as coke; a coke can is 139 calories, but fanta or club is aroun 190 or 200 i think.

worth reading up about the history of fanta too.

Phosphates and sugar (all that corn syrup!!) - Fanta was in vogue for a while because it's phosphate content was higher.

Just don't chug it all in one go after a long cycle or you will know the true meaning of the words 'gastric distress.'

el tel

They should drink Mountain Dew on the climbs, Dr Pepper during recovery and Club when they are back home...riding with their club.

Brian?

Jawgap wrote: »

Phosphates and sugar (all that corn syrup!!) - Fanta was in vogue for a while because it's phosphate content was higher.

Just don't chug it all in one go after a long cycle or you will know the true meaning of the words 'gastric distress.'

No corn syrup in Europeon Coke. All sugar. US coke is the only one with corn syrup, possibly Canadian as well.

Strangely, in Arizona you can get Mexican coke that's made with sugar like here. People go mad for it.

You also get pepsi throwback which is made with sugar instead of corn syrup. Which to anyone outside the US is simply Pepsi.

My knowledge of cola products appears to be quite broad, which is odd given how rarely I drink it.

Anyway, as I said; cyclists drink it cause it's lovely.

Brian?

el tel wrote: »

They should drink Mountain Dew on the climbs, Dr Pepper during recovery and Club when they are back home...riding with their club.

Mountain Dew Code Red! That'll get you the Alpe no bother. The stuff has enough caffeine and sugar to put you in a twitchy diabetic coma.

dastardly00

Brian? wrote: »

No corn syrup in Europeon Coke. All sugar. US coke is the only one with corn syrup, possibly Canadian as well.

Strangely, in Arizona you can get Mexican coke that's made with sugar like here. People go mad for it.

You also get pepsi throwback which is made with sugar instead of corn syrup. Which to anyone outside the US is simply Pepsi.

My knowledge of cola products appears to be quite broad, which is odd given how rarely I drink it.

Anyway, as I said; cyclists drink it cause it's lovely.

Same in Texas. I lived in Houston for six months and you could get Mexican Coca-Cola in glass bottles in certain supermarkets. When served ice cold ... absolute heaven

mloc123

I noticed the cans of coke seem to be a little more sticky than a bottle also when handed from a team car..

Eamonnator

mloc123 wrote: »

I noticed the cans of come seem to be a little more sticky than a bottle also when handed from a team car..

You might want to edit that

Darkglasses

mloc123 wrote: »

I noticed the cans of come seem to be a little more sticky than a bottle also when handed from a team car..

Haha thank you auto-correct for another gem.

Mint Sauce

Brian? wrote: »

No corn syrup in Europeon Coke. All sugar. US coke is the only one with corn syrup, possibly Canadian as well.

Strangely, in Arizona you can get Mexican coke that's made with sugar like here. People go mad for it.

You also get pepsi throwback which is made with sugar instead of corn syrup. Which to anyone outside the US is simply Pepsi.

My knowledge of cola products appears to be quite broad, which is odd given how rarely I drink it.

Anyway, as I said; cyclists drink it cause it's lovely.

Is that the one you sniff or drink?

mloc123

Eamonnator wrote: »

You might want to edit that

Bah.

Brian?

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Is that the one you sniff or drink?

Confusing Mexico and Columbia?

magicbastarder

plus, coke in glass bottles is more concentrated than coke in cans or plastic bottles.
that's because it is usually served in pubs, i.e. with ice, and has to be more syrupy because of the dilution due to the ice.

elnino23

I used to be involved in a different pro sport and we would drink a pint of half Coke and half water. it got the sugar in your body quicker and helped with rehydration. it was much easier on the stomach and toned down the gas.

studiorat

in some parts of spain they drink coke and red wine:)

Darkstrike

studiorat wrote: »

in some parts of spain they drink coke and red wine:)

I suppose a buzz will make the miles melt away.


Seriously though, tasty combo.

shaka

Drink coke with beer in Germany , pure dirt ..

Guybrush T

Brian? wrote: »

It's nice. Really nice. The fizz is really nice on a dry mouth.

Also Coke sponsor the Tour so it's the only fizzy drink they can hand out.

No they don't

BofaDeezNuhtz

shaka wrote: »

Drink coke with beer in Germany , pure dirt ..

I was a barman years ago and one of my regs drank Guinness with a Coke head.

petethedrummer

Brian? wrote: »

Strangely, in Arizona you can get Mexican coke that's made with sugar like here. People go mad for it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57592714/mexico-takes-title-of-most-obese-from-america/

http://www.smigroup.it/smi/repository_new/doc/ARCA_UK.pdf

Squidgy Black

petethedrummer wrote: »

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57592714/mexico-takes-title-of-most-obese-from-america/

http://www.smigroup.it/smi/repository_new/doc/ARCA_UK.pdf

The Mexicans have an excuse though, the price of fast food and junk is a lot cheaper than fruit and vegetables in most villages, and because a lot of the country is still in poverty they don't have the money to eat well.

Americans on the other hand don't have that excuse 90% of the time.

bazermc

I spotted Sagan getting a can of coke from the team car on yesterdays USA pro challenge stage

Obviously worked for him as he went to win the stage

petethedrummer

bazermc wrote: »

I spotted Sagan getting a can of coke from the team car on yesterdays USA pro challenge stage

Obviously worked for him as he went to win the stage

Yeah I was in A4 and struggling to finish races and then I started taking a can of coke half way through each race. After about 6 months i got a pro-contract and won the king of the mountains in the Giro d'Italia. So take it from me they do work.