OFFICIAL PROGRAMME coffee and caffeine . The meals are not consistent . That ’ s the main point . You don ’ t need to have a big digestion , because big digestion means big energy you need to go to the stomach . So when your blood is in the stomach working , it ’ s not in the muscles , in the brain . Also one thing that we put a lot of intention on that is the brain , the condition , the mental function . Many products that we provide to them is to increase this capacity to be focused , concentrate .” As anybody who really delves into racing knows , the brain is the most important rider performance aid , especially over 20-odd laps of an intense circuit . Supplements come into their own most of all there , it seems . “ There is a kind of supplement that is already prepared ,” said Albert , before getting a bit chemically technical , by necessity . “ Tryptophan is a kind of supplement that - like vitamin B also that allows to be more fast - and in a good mood also . Magnesium helps a lot . There are some brands . A lot of laboratories already mix different molecules in order to help that . Also , we provide them some pills for sleeping because the rest is so important . If you don ’ t rest in the night , you cannot perform .” And no , they do not affect rider performance next day . “ Not at all ,” said Albert . “ They solve problems that it ’ s like an anti-anxiolytic , which is benzodiazepines . This is a molecule for anxiety . The secondary affect is sleep . That we provide to them it ’ s just a sleeping inductor . It ’ s like a pill for sleep . Nothing else . Seven hours later , you wake up super fresh .” And of course they are only used if they are really needed . The whole supplements , pills , non-conventional intake has - I am sure - already triggered many of your minds into asking the big D question . Doping . With so many proscribed potential things out there that would trigger a positive test , accidental intake of a banned substance is something that must take careful thought from any rider and performance specialists ? “ One hundred percent ,” said Albert . “ We talk a lot with all the Medical Dorna staff . Actually , I have my own list of the WHO what is legal and not legal . So of course we take a lot of that point because that could be a problem .” At races , etc this is obviously something that Albert can advise on , but each rider has to know what to avoid in the outside world , especially when travelling . “ They are careful , they are clever ,” said Albert . “ If they have any doubt , they call me straightaway . If I don ’ t , because I don ’ t know many things , we have in the team a lot of doctors that we work with . So , if I have a doubt myself , I just call a doctor and say what they are talking about and then we decide . They already know before they take something or do something they call me and we decide together which is the best plan , the best strategy to don ’ t commit mistakes .” Those gels you see some riders take on the grid are carbs , with fast acting sugars , which will last for about half an hour , and after exercise you also need to
“ They solve problems that it ’ s like an anti-anxiolytic , which is benzodiazepines . This is a molecule for anxiety ”
EXCITING CONTENT take in sugar to replace those molecules in the muscles and protein to rebuild the muscles themselves . And what about the ‘ A-word ’… alcohol . Never before competition of course , but after , and in the off season . Riders used to drink a lot in the old days . “ This is controversial ,” said Albert - which is not entirely surprising , maybe ? “ There are a lot of different philosophies and studies . One beer after sport is okay , because there is sugar . When there is sugar , you replace the glucose in the muscle . That is good . More than that , no , because you are exerting the body . That is dehydration and this is not good at all . Absolutely before the sport is not good at all . Not only for the psychological effects , also physical effect . Never in race weekend . On Sunday after the race , one glass of red wine is not a problem at all , but never before the sport . That ’ s for sure . Especially with our sport , you cannot be focused when you are riding at 300km per hour .” And what about the off-season ? When is alcohol intake and maybe other bad habits the riders have at home away from racing , does it have to stop . “ It depends a lot each person ,” said Albert . “ In medical terms , there is no pathology . With the same age two people , is different metabolism . So , we have to take it person by person . We cannot make general for our riders . They are professional , and they are not starting from zero . When we stop the season I say to them , you must stop . I want you to drink . I want you to make party . I want to you to switch off . It doesn ’ t mean that you have to take ten kilos , but he could easily take four kilos on a break . But he needs to , because mentally and physically - we need that , calm down , rebuild the energy , rebuild the hunger and come again . I spend a lot of time saying , “ Do nothing that weekend .” “ I ’ m just going to train two hours in biking .” No . I want you on the couch , playing PlayStation , whatever you want , but don ’ t train one hour , because we need that . So then for them we take the pre-season we start one and a half to two months before .” Then , the evaluation and build-up cycle begins agin . “ We proposed them that small break is necessary , but one and a half , two months before , we make several scans , blood tests and other body scans , and this is our starting point from the season ,” explained Albert . “ Then we start to build different protocols and the different tests we perform during the year . We keep them quite controlled .” Albert answered one question about carbohydrates . Are they just as good or bad for you ? Is pasta the best one , or another or all they all the same ?
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