\u201cWe keep to what\u2019s proven, what\u2019s needed, and what\u2019s cost-effective.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what is proven, necessary, and cost-effective for endurance athletes?<\/p>\n
We spoke to nutritionists, riders, and trainers to find out what a typical pro cyclist\u2019s \u201csupplement stack\u201d might look like.<\/p>\n
And guess what?<\/p>\n
Supplementing elite endurance isn\u2019t as costly and complicated as the carefully crafted marketing campaigns might have you think.<\/p>\n
The IOC\u2019s \u2018Big 5\u2019 of supplements, and which work for cyclists
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Z8B_0741-2-1200x750.jpg\"\/)
The 5 supplements endorsed by the IOC don\u2019t all offer benefits for cyclists. (Photo: Gruber Images )<\/p>\n
In 2018, the International Olympic Committee published a landmark \u201cposition statement<\/a>\u201d on all-things supplements.<\/p>\n Within that weighty tome was a list of five performance supplements that are definitely worth an athlete\u2019s time.<\/p>\n Yes, only five.<\/p>\n This \u201cBig 5\u201d of caffeine, creatine, sodium bicarbonate, nitrates, and beta alanine are proven to work, are proven to be safe, and are approved by WADA.<\/p>\n And while pro cycling is basically a different sport from the year when Peter Sagan (remember him?) won Roubaix, the sporting community\u2019s stance on ergogenic aids is largely the same.<\/p>\n In 2026, the Big 5 are still the proven kings of sports supplements.<\/p>\n That said, only three of them are regularly used by pro cyclists.<\/p>\n IOC no.1 \u2013 Caffeine: Peloton-approved You won\u2019t spill your coffee in surprise when you read about the wonders of caffeine.<\/p>\n It lowers the rate of perceived exertion, boosts mental acuity, and can prolong time to fatigue.<\/p>\n And all the better, it\u2019s cheap, easy to use, and can be damn tasty.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why there\u2019s an espresso machine in every team bus and a caffeine gel in every jersey pocket. Even athletes who can\u2019t stand the bitter burn of coffee will turn to caffeine for a pre-race boost or a final-hour kick.<\/p>\n A few caveats? To crush caffeine like a true pro, consider your timing, dosage, and delivery method<\/a>.<\/p>\n The general consensus is that athletes require 3-6\u2009mg\/kg of body mass for peak effect.<\/p>\n Some athletes may feel a greater effect from caffeine chews and tablets<\/a> than from gels or drinks.<\/p>\n And while you might feel an immediate buzz from your cortado or chew, caffeine requires around an hour in the system before it truly kicks.<\/p>\n Also, consider the conditions. Girling recommends that his athletes lower their caffeine doses during extreme heat due to its impact on thermoregulation.<\/p>\n IOC no.2 \u2013 Creatine: Peloton-approved Creatine emerged from the weight room<\/a> to become the most hip performance and wellness hack of 2025. From influencers and business gurus to world-class endurance athletes, Western society couldn\u2019t get enough of it.<\/p>\n And why not?<\/p>\n While creatine primarily benefits short-burst power, it\u2019s also proven to boost memory, mood, and focus.<\/p>\n This recent \u201ccreatine revolution\u201d extends to modern endurance. It\u2019s become far more common to find creatine monohydrate pills or powders in athletes\u2019 kitchen cabinets.<\/p>\n It supports year-round strength training, can be beneficial for the repeated surges of road racing, and is thought to improve recovery.<\/p>\n However, the fear of \u201ccreatine bloat\u201d continues to divide athletes in weight-governed sports. Supplementation can cause some water retention and unwanted weight gain.<\/p>\n In pro cycling, sprinters and classics riders generally use creatine all year. A few extra pounds are the least of your worries if you\u2019ve got to chase Mathieu van der Poel across the pav\u00e9.<\/p>\n Riders more concerned about their watts per kilo might cycle on and off during specific phases of the training plan, for example, during Vo2 Max or strength blocks.<\/p>\n For what it\u2019s worth, I\u2019ve been taking the widely recommended 5mg creatine per day, every day, for around 18 months. It put kilos onto my squat and deadlift, and watts onto my FTP. Better still, there was no detrimental impact on my w\/kg.<\/p>\n James Moran, nutritionist at Uno-X Mobility<\/a>, told us that some of his skinnier riders reported similar benefits.<\/p>\n For athletes of a certain profile, the power gains of creatine can more than offset any bulk.<\/p>\n IOC no.3 \u2013 Sodium bicarbonate: Peloton-approved Sodium bicarbonate has been a go-to for generations of time trialists, track sprinters, and 100-meter runners.<\/p>\n A spoonful of humble baking soda buffers hydrogen ions in the blood and fends off the fizzing burn of short-duration, high-intensity activity.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s growing scientific and anecdotal evidence that sodium bicarb is good for long-haul endurance, too<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pro cyclists find it effective for easing the sting of repeated surges in road racing, and triathletes and ultra-marathoners believe it prolongs time to exhaustion.<\/p>\n The downside?<\/p>\n Bicarb could make your bibs go brown. The abrasive powder can provoke severe G.I. distress.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why Maurten\u2019s Bicarb System blew up the world of endurance with its unique delivery method. Maurten\u2019s bicarb goop extends the window of effectiveness and is stomach-safe.<\/p>\n But for many, the price of the pioneering \u201csystem\u201d is prohibitive. Many pro teams have turned to enteric capsules as a slightly less effective second option.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re bicarb curious and feeling brave, you could always go old-school with a jar of your mom\u2019s Arm & Hammer. Taking 0.2-0.4g per kilo body mass is considered to be optimal. Mix it into water and slurp it down around 90 minutes before your workout, ideally with a small dose of carbs.<\/p>\n Good luck.<\/p>\n IOC no.4 \u2013 Beta alanine: Not worth the bother Beta-alanine isn\u2019t considered a \u201cfront-line\u201d supplement in pro cycling, and it\u2019s seldom recommended to amateur cyclists.<\/p>\n Beta-alanine is proven to buffer blood acidity and support efforts of up to ~30 minutes, but the impact is limited and highly individual. Nutritionists we spoke to said many of their athletes are non-responders.<\/p>\n So save your bandwidth for something more worth the bother.<\/p>\n IOC no.5 \u2013 Nitrates: Not necessarily for pros, but maybe for you Remember those pre-Pogi days when nitrate-loaded beetroot shots were all the rage?<\/p>\n Well, it seems that nitrates are no longer part of every elite endurance menu.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s good evidence for nitrates in intermittent sprints, but the conclusions are mixed when you apply that to guys like ours with a VO2 Max of 70, 80,\u201d Moran told Velo. \u201cI\u2019m not a big believer in using nitrate at our level of performance. So we don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n But that\u2019s not to say nitrates are a \u201cno\u201d for everybody. Peter Leo at Jayco-AlUla said they\u2019re a staple of his team\u2019s performance program.<\/p>\n And even Moran is less negative about nitrates for amateurs.<\/p>\n It\u2019s well-established that less-trained athletes experience a reduced oxygen cost of exercise after nitrate-loading, which benefits muscle contractility and repeat sprints.<\/p>\n Whether the benefit of beets outweigh the turmoil of tasting the rancid concentrate shots is another matter.<\/p>\n Where\u2019s the protein powder? The IOC\u2019s 2018 position statement is well overdue for a renewal. And when it does, you can be sure that the 5 in \u2018Big 5\u2019 will become 6, 7, or 8.<\/p>\n Many believe no.6 should be protein and collagen powders. They\u2019re proven to be effective and safe, and they\u2019re legal.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t expect to find tubs of protein powder in the pro cycling pantry. And that\u2019s despite the fact that endurance athletes need as much protein as the anabolic monsters in the weight room, ideally around 2g protein per kilo of bodyweight.<\/p>\n A pro who\u2019s adequately supporting their regular training load will be eating so much \u2013 maybe upward of 4,000 calories per day<\/a> \u2013 that they achieve their protein goals the \u201cnatural\u201d way. And if not, they\u2019re told to \u201csupplement\u201d with some goddamn eggs, chicken, or soya before they scoop a processed alternative.<\/p>\n There are, of course, times when protein powder does get the pass.<\/p>\n Carbohydrate-heavy protein recovery mixes are pounded after every workout. And straight-up whey, casein, or vegan protein shakes may appear in the depths of a grand tour.<\/p>\n \u201cIf a rider is really tired, or has lost their appetite during a heavy block, protein powders have a place. Sometimes the guys just can\u2019t eat enough,\u201d Leo at Jayco-AlUla told Velo.<\/p>\n Amateur cyclists should eat protein before supplementing it The nutritionists we spoke to advocated a food-first approach to protein for amateurs, too.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be looking at an athlete\u2019s diet to see if there\u2019s enough good protein at breakfast and lunch, and not only at dinner, before I recommend a powder,\u201d Uno-X nutrition guru Moran said.<\/p>\n \u201cEven when a rider is eating enough calories, I commonly see big gaps in these early protein windows,\u201d Moran told Velo.<\/p>\n This anti-powder philosophy may not always apply to vegan and vegetarian athletes, or those who are chasing race-weight or rehabbing injuries.<\/p>\n But still, supplementation is considered a last resort.<\/p>\n Ketones, cherry juice, broccoli, and beyond: The next generation of supplements for cyclists<\/p>\n There\u2019s a whole shelf of performance supplements below the \u201cBig 5\u201d that are endorsed by many but laughed off by some.<\/p>\n For the skeptics, the science is too mixed, or the studies are too minimal. But for the believers, there\u2019s no holding back.<\/p>\n Ketones: Used by the monied Ketones are perhaps the best example. No other supplement has provoked more consternation, debate, and division than these controversial esters.<\/p>\n Ketones were originally considered a mysterious and maybe dangerous endurance fuel that would preserve carbohydrate.<\/p>\n More recently, biohackers and businessmen have turned ketone-crazy after studies proved they provide a cognitive boost. There\u2019s also growing belief that these artificial esters support athletic recovery.<\/p>\n These new findings made ketones so mainstream that you can find them alongside the Clif Bars and GU Gels at your local health food store.<\/p>\n But just because they\u2019re accessible, that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re widely approved. The UCI recommends against them<\/a>, and the \u201cclean cycling\u201d group condemns their use.<\/p>\n They\u2019re certainly not cheap, either.<\/p>\n One nutritionist told us they\u2019d need to spend around $10k if they wanted their athletes to use ketones during the three weeks of the Tour de France. As Girling at the $50+ million Red Bull super team told us, the expenditure on ketones is \u201cobscene.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven from a team perspective, I think that money could be utilized so much better in other areas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n And more significantly, some studies<\/a> suggest ketones have no impact on, or potentially worsen, endurance performance.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why many WorldTour teams think the cost-benefit equation for ketones doesn\u2019t stack up. Others rely on partnerships with ketone suppliers or limit their use to specific riders.<\/p>\n Cherry juice and blackcurrant tablets: Used by many There\u2019s no such divide or debate about polyphenols. It\u2019s hard to get angry about cherries, after all.<\/p>\n The polyphenols found in these delicious dark berries can reduce muscle damage and improve recovery after intense exercise.<\/p>\n And that antioxidant effect is an intoxicating prospect for sports nutrition brands and athletes alike. That\u2019s why concentrated cherry and blackcurrant were everywhere in 2025.<\/p>\n So many riders were swigging cherry juice at finish lines<\/a> that it could have been a meme. Those who didn\u2019t get a tart cherry fix used CurraNZ\u2019s increasingly popular blackcurrant extract capsules instead.<\/p>\n But consumer, be warned.<\/p>\n Polyphenols are proven to work, but they\u2019re a half-percenter at best. Drink your chocolate milk and get a good night\u2019s sleep before you start stocking up on these red recovery elixirs.<\/p>\n Broccoli shots: Maybe? Nomio broccoli drink is another hotly hyped food derivative. There\u2019s still a scarcity of solid evidence, but the running world cannot get enough<\/a> of this bitter green drink that claims to reduce lactate by 12 percent.<\/p>\n And while Nomio hasn\u2019t broken into world cycling in the way that cherry juice has, it\u2019s starting to gain traction.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Z8A_7610-2-1200x883.jpg\"\/)
Forget the steering wheel and engine \u2013 This is the most important element of the Visma-Lease a Bike team bus. (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Pro](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1659535363-1200x800.jpg\"\/)
Creatine is moving out of the weight room and into pro cycling. (Photo: Christoph Soeder\/picture alliance via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Z9D_4610-1200x928.jpg\"\/)
Riders on SD Worx and Visma helped Maurten test and refine its bicarb system. (Photo: Gruber Images )<\/p>\n
\n![\"Beta-Alanine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Z9D_7080-1200x848.jpg\"\/)
Relatively few riders supplement with beta-alanine. (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2179928307-1200x800.jpg\"\/)
Pro cyclists find little benefit from nitrate supplements, but sorry, beetroot haters, it might work for you. (Photo: Getty Images )<\/p>\n
\n![\"Real](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Strade-Bianche-1-1200x882.jpg\"\/)
Pro riders typically eat their protein rather than drinking it in a shake. (Photo courtesy Visma-Lease a Bike)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Cyclists](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2207637138-1200x405.jpg\"\/)
Nutritionists advocate for a food-first approach to protein. (Photo: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Ketones](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Evenepoel-ketones-1200x675.jpg\"\/)
Several WorldTour teams, including Evenepoel\u2019s former Quick-Step team, have ketone partners. Those who don\u2019t are put off by the cost. (Photo: Getty Images )<\/p>\n
\n![\"These](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2234562643.jpg\"\/)
These blue bottles of Amacx cherry juice were everywhere this summer. (Photo: OSCAR DEL POZO\/AFP via Getty Images )<\/p>\n
\n![\"Pedersen,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cyclingimages-2025-Vuelta-Stage-15-833830-1200x800.jpg\"\/)
Mads Pedersen and the elite running community can\u2019t get enough of Nomio right now. Some cycling team nutritionists don\u2019t believe the broccoli hype. (Photo: Gruber Images )<\/p>\n
![\"All](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Z8A_9618-e1769417325358-1200x766.jpg\"\/)
Supplementing for general health is individual, but there are common themes.<\/p>\n![\"Pro](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1424217301-1200x800.jpg\"\/)
All teams will use a different mix of supplements, but there seems to be a trend toward \u2018less is more.\u2019 (Photo: Getty Images)<\/p>\n