Cycling training: A tale of sweat and swimming

3,519km in 21 stages, nine of those in the mountains... the 2016 Tour de France is particularly tough with the big climbs coming as early as the fifth stage.

The 198 riders who started the race are highly tuned, physically and mentally. Some, like Richie Porte, include swimming in their training regime.

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The Tour de France is one of the most punishing sporting events on earth. First the physical test – 3,519km encompassing time trials, flat stages, skyscraping mountains and four hill-top finishes and 21 stages with only two rest days.

Then the mental side, where riders must battle through injury or convince aching limbs they have the power to carry on. Some teams hire coaches to give their riders psychological support, like ex-football manager Denis Troch at FDJ.

Preparation includes rest, nutrition... and, in the case of BMC’s Richie Porte, swimming.

Riders spend the weeks before Grand Tours pounding the roads as they look to build fitness and rhythm. The Frenchman Warren Barguil (http://www.warrenbarguil.fr) rides for five hours after breakfast each day, either alone or in a group.

Variety helps make this regime more palatable – a combination of road and track work… and this is where swimming comes in.

Richie Porte is convinced: “If you’re fit in the pool that will translate onto the bike.” Before playing a key role in Chris Froome’s 2015 Tour success, Porte inherited team leadership the previous year after Froome withdrew from the race.

Unwell and out of form, Porte lost his grip on a podium place and slipped down the general classification.

“The doctors told me to spend lots of time in the water to help my recovery,” he said.

Porte insists swimming is the best way to make a cyclist stronger, “because it works every muscle from head to toe”. In the pool, just as on the bike, forward propulsion comes from the legs, while the water resistance reduces impact on the thigh and calf muscles. The workout enhances muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.

Porte follows a regime devised by Speedo and British swimming legend Mark Foster – including this programme to help prepare for climbing mountains. Porte has worked with Speedo and British swimming legend Mark Foster to create a swim training programme for cyclists including the one, great prep for the climbs

-Warm-up: 200m freestyle, then 100m crawl with a kickboard (twice)

-Main session: 100m freestyle with kickboard, 200m breaststroke, 300m freestyle with pull buoy, 400m freestyle at increasing speed, then the first three exercises in reverse order.

-End of session: 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle

“The sight, sound and feel of water are very relaxing,” says Foster.

It is a very different environment from cycling, but both give the sense of solitude felt by professional athletes. With the help of his Speedo training regime and swimming as part of his training, Porte believes the is enjoying “the best period of my career”. But he also needs a special diet.

It is essential for cyclists to greatly reduce the intensity of their work between seasons. Some, like Alberto Contador, stop completely for anything between five and 15 days. It helps reduce stress, detox, relax the mind and allows the body to repair wear and tear. This break usually happens in November, before training resumes ahead of the new season which starts in January.

Nutrition has become an art form for cyclists. Breakfast is often high in protein to help the body avoid exhaustion during training and last until the next meal, which can be around 3pm.

After swimming Richie Porte makes the following smoothie:

-Half a banana

-A handful of mixed berries

-Two tablespoons of porridge oats

-A quarter of a cup of Greek yoghurt

-A tablespoon of almond butter

-Half a cup of water

Evening meals are more consistent, but not excessive.

Richie’s favourite foods are avocado, pasta with tuna and a good fruit salad.