Dylan van Baarle is certain, FoodCoach connects
Is nutrition primarily important for the general classification rider? Dylan van Baarle strongly disagrees with that. "Because FoodCoach is personalized, every rider benefits from it. And when every rider improves, you are able to perform better as a team as well."
Dylan: "For cyclists, nutrition is the common thread throughout their careers. Without proper nutrition, you can't maximize your training and race performance. FoodCoach helps you find the right balance so you can perform at your best. I've experienced that it works, so I try to stick to it as much as possible.
And I'm not alone. Within our team, everyone believes in the FoodCoach app. It fosters a sense of unity within the team. Especially during major tours, like the Tour de France, everyone strictly adheres to the FoodCoach app guidelines. It brings us together."
“No one at our table ever leaves wondering if they've eaten too much or too little.”
FoodCoach connects, but is nutrition much more important for Jonas than for you?
"The beauty of FoodCoach is that every rider benefits from it. Of course, during the Tour de France, we rode as a team to support Jonas Vingegaard. It was crucial for him to maintain the right weight to conquer the mountains. However, he wouldn't have benefited as much if his helpers couldn't assist him in the third week in the mountains because they had gained two or three kilos.
Because FoodCoach is personalized, every rider gains an advantage from it. And when every rider improves, the team's overall performance also improves. Good performances boost the team again. In this way, FoodCoach forms an important part of our success."
Is the nutrition at Team Jumbo-Visma different from the teams you rode for in the past?
"For me, this is my first year with Team Jumbo-Visma. At the teams I rode for in the past, I relied much more on intuition when it came to eating. So, at first, it felt a bit strange to open an app to see what I should eat. But now I wouldn't have it any other way, also because everyone in the team does it. With us, no one ever leaves the table wondering if they've eaten too much or too little."
“Good performances give the team a boost once again. In this way, FoodCoach plays a crucial role in our success.”
Aren't you too dependent on the FoodCoach app?
"Whether we have become too dependent on FoodCoach? I don't think so. It's also a part of elite sports. Just like you have to train to ride well. Are you then also dependent on your training sessions? Of course, you should always listen to your intuition, but the more tools you have to help you perform at your best, the better," concludes Dylan.
