Are you a good cook?
I'm not bad… when I want to be. Most of the time when I was racing I just ate what I needed to, I didn’t bother doing anything fancy unless I was cooking for other people. Now I'm retired, I hardly eat, weirdly.
What's your favourite dish to whip up at home?
Ah, tacos have to be my favourite. Not the crispy ones, but the Texmex kind we have back in Texas.
Are you into food? Especially now you can eat what you want?
No, I'm not ‘into’ food at all. I appreciate it, but its not something that drives me. Its more fuel.
Why Is food a significant consideration for someone that is racing?
It can be for some. Some get really obsessed about it. I never did. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted pretty much. I just tended to lean to heathy stuff anyway… but never worred about a glass of wine or chocolate on occasion.
Why To what extent did diet affect your performance?
Ah that’s really hard to say. I know early doors I was on the bigger side, but once I left Belgium and got into WCPP / UK I leaned off a lot. For most of my career I was around 4/5% bodyfat.
What was your staple diet when you were racing/training?
Mexican food. Lol. Basiclly eggs, fish, chicken, steak and tortillas. With Spinich and some other veg. haha.
What was your favourite food to reward yourself with after a race?
Something sweet. It didn't matter what.
When touring which country did you look forward to eating in the most?
I never really thought about it. I guess Asia, as you’d always get sushi.
Were there any foods you were banned from eating?
Yea, shellfish and ice cream!
Who was the best cook on the team?
Ah, John Herety. Hes an amazing chef. Should probably put out a book on cooking for cyclists.
Now that you're a performance director, how big a part does food play in riders' training program
It all depends on the athlete. At the moment I don’t get involved in that too much, I think at this level its not as important as if you were trying to win the Tour. If you have a balanced diet, and pay attention to your food, that’s enough.
Now What are your top tips for typical cyclists around what to eat if they are preparing for an event?
I think what I've said before, if you keep it sensible, and pay attention to the food you'll be OK. For most people trying to improve their cycling, just cutting out beer and riding a little more does the trick. Diets rarely work in general, it boils down to reducing portion sizes and increasing your exercise.
