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Ever wonder what elite athletes eat after a race? Well, Mathieu van der Poel enjoys some fries and snacks as a post-race treat. According to an interview with the Belgian VRT, Van der Poel skips the healthy stuff and indulges in coffee cakes, fries, and snacks on race days. He prefers to start a cyclocross race on an almost empty stomach so he can go all-out from the beginning. His pre-race meal consists of a pistolet with jam and a pistolet with egg.
On the day before a race, Van der Poel loads up on pasta with ham, cheese, and ketchup, and makes sure to consume a fair amount of salt. After the race, it’s time to celebrate with some “lost bread” and a visit to a fast-food restaurant for fries with ketchup and two snacks. According to Van der Poel, indulging in these treats doesn’t affect his performance, stating, “I don’t believe I’ll ride ten seconds faster next week if I don’t eat fries now.”