Fridge Raiders: Dani King

After beginning her pro cycling career as a track rider and being part of the five-time Worlds-winning team pursuit trio - not to mention a member of the golden trio from London 2012 - Dani King has stepped away from the boards and onto the road.

For 2013, King is riding for new British women's road team Wiggle-Honda, along with her 2012 pursuit team-mates. She has already demonstrated that she has the talent and skill to mix it alongside her road counterparts this season.

Porridge with raisins, blueberries and honey

King begins her day with her favourite: porridge. Containing complex carbohydrate, porridge releases energy throughout the day, keeping King well-fuelled and free from hunger pangs during her day's training. She adds fruit to her porridge for additional energy and taste.

Blueberries are a renowned ‘superfood' containing antioxidants, so it's no wonder King adds them to her breakfast. Their immune-system-boosting properties are definitely useful for riders who, when training hard, push their bodies to the limit and are therefore more susceptible to getting ill.

Banana, energy bars and gels

Fuelling while out training is vital for pro cyclists. During her ride, King fuels herself with a combination of ‘real food' and bars and gels. The importance of fuelling while training is obvious: it allows riders to get the maximum out of each training session.

Energy products are specifically designed to get energy into the bloodstream quickly, ready to fuel the working muscles effectively. Training or racing, riders usually stick with the same products they trust and know work for them.

Recovery drink

Post-ride, King drinks a protein shake. It is important to refuel soon after training, as this replenishes muscle glycogen more effectively.

A protein shake consumed immediately after training ensures protein stores are topped up to help aid muscle recovery. Many experts refer to this as the ‘golden hour', during which the body most needs and responds to the intake of nutrition.

Scrambled eggs and beans on toast

A post-ride meal of scrambled eggs and beans on toast is great to provide extra protein and to replace carbohydrate.

Replacing carbohydrate stores after a long ride is really important to ensure riders are refuelled ready for the next training session - sometimes on the same day. King does this with beans and toast; beans are a great source of carbohydrate and fibre.

Soreen

Snacking on Soreen malt loaf during the day is a great way for King to take on calories with a low fat content. With its high amount of energy, Soreen is a perfect snack on days when riders have been in the saddle for four hours and have burnt a lot of energy.

Prawn and vegetable stir-fry

This is a great meal that gets all the vital nutrients King needs after a day's training. The vegetables within the stir-fry provide fibre as well as vitamins and minerals much needed by a top athlete. These help keep an athlete's immune system in top shape, which is especially important during hard blocks of training.

The prawns within the stir-fry are a great source of protein and provide the body with building blocks to replenish protein in the muscles. Prawns also contain omega-3 fatty acids; these are the ‘good' unsaturated fats your body needs in order to keep a healthy heart and reduce cholesterol.

Natural yogurt with honey

Natural yoghurt is a great snack to have during a day of training, as it is a perfect source of both protein and carbohydrates. These are vital components in any athlete's diet to refuel and aid recovery. King sweetens her yoghurt with honey.

Honey is a great medicinal food and has been used by athletes since the ancient Olympics to give that extra boost of energy.

This article was first published in the August 15 issue of Cycling Weekly. Read Cycling Weekly magazine on the day of release where ever you are in the world International digital edition, UK digital edition. And if you like us, rate us!