Regulars on the Cape Town Cycle Tour probably already have their race-day routine sorted, but new riders may not know what to expect. We chatted to Sunette van der Merwe, Amani Spa & Wellness Director at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront for her tips. This is Sunette’s fifth race and she has learnt many things over the years.

1. Do not make any changes to anything

“I cannot emphasise this enough. Do not make any changes during this week. Don’t change your shoes, your liquids, your clothing, the way you sit on the bike – do not change anything. You will be surprised at how much a small change can hinder you on the day,” says Sunette.

You’ve been training a certain way for weeks, wearing the same shoes, eating the same snacks and sitting in the same position. Changing these things at the last minute can hurt your body in various ways on race day. And new snacks could make your gut react in a way that you don’t need it to on the day. Rather stick to what’s been working for you all these weeks.

2. Fuel your body 

“Yes, carbs are great, but don’t forget the liquids. Keep your body fully hydrated and have those energy drinks, too. It helps with the salt intake,” notes Sunette.

For the day and night before, eat carb-heavy meals with pasta, bread, rice, potatoes and vegetables such as pumpkin and butternut. You can even start carbo-loading up to three days before the race. Toast or bagels for breakfast, fruit for snacks, and rice and pasta for dinner will allow your body to create the energy stores it needs for a full day in the saddle.

3. Get enough sleep 

Sunette says “Your body is going to need a full night’s rest most days this week. Go to bed at a reasonable time. You don’t need to watch one more episode of your favourite show and you should try not to work late into the night.”

Doing a big race when you are tired will make the race feel tougher and will affect your performance on the day.

4. Check your bicycle

“Ensure that all the parts are working correctly and that you have spare tubes if needed, spare parts and tools to fix anything that might go wrong on the day,” Sunette advises.

Make sure that your bicycle is in as good shape as possible. You can take it to your usual and trusted bike mechanic to do one last check – but no changes unless it’s desperately needed. Having a bicycle in poor condition on the day will definitely affect your finishing time.

5. Don’t forget recovery

“Once the race is done, you need to put effort into adequate recovery,” says Sunette.

“Don’t skimp on this part. This could be the difference between recovering in a day or two or recovering in a week’s time only.”

Sign up for a deep tissue massage at a spa such as Amani Spa, or book a session with your physio for some stretches and a check-up. Be sure to keep hydrating as your body would have used a lot of fluids on the ride, and eat well! But this time instead of eating loads of carbs, eat foods that are rich in protein to help your muscles recover, and drink chocolate milk – it has the right ratio of carbs and protein and gives your body an amino acid boost.

As a final word, Sunette says “Don’t over-train this week of the race and, importantly, remember to have fun, enjoy the ride and camaraderie, and take in the scenery”.