Isaac del Toro: the pinpoint nutrition behind the Mexican cyclist
Andrea Flores, Mexican nutritionist at Team UAE Emirates, explains the method behind the Mexican cyclist’s diet
Isaac del Toro has a record of consuming up to 8 thousand calories on a competition day. The Mexican cyclist points out that there are times when he has to dedicate up to 90 minutes to consume the foods that give him “gasoline” for the days when he has to get on the bike for more than four hours and compete against the best cyclists in the world.
“Well, since the morning there are already 1,700 calories for breakfast. An omelet, ham. Two egg whites and a yolk. Oatmeal, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, mangoes, that is, something that may contain a lot of fructose so that it can enter the body more easily, since the more natural it also helps,” he said. Isaac del Toro in an interview with Franco Escamilla.
The success of Del Torothird place in the ranking of the International Cycling Unionon the bicycle cannot be explained solely by his talent, his discipline or his physical ability. Behind every training and every competition is specific and highly detailed daily nutritional planning, designed to respond to the changing demands of professional cycling.
“For the first time I devised a different way of working, because although I had been consulting and assisting athletes of all levels for some time, I had not worked so specifically with an athlete with such great ambitions, with so many competitions a year, living outside of Mexico,” he says. Andrea Floresnutritionist UAE Team Emiratesand who has worked with Isaac del Toro since late 2022.
For Andreathe main challenge has been adapting nutrition to a sport where no two days are the same. “In cycling, training changes a lot from one day to the next. There can be days of total rest, days of easy riding for an hour and a half, and others of five or six hours at medium and high intensities. To that we must add trips and races,” says the Mexican nutritionist. Before arriving at UAE Team Emirates, Isaac del Toro I already worked with Andrea Floresthey decided to leave general plans behind and opt for daily planning, adjusted to the exact training that Isaac will do each day.
“I connect to the platform where the coach uploads the workouts and, based on that, I plan each day’s nutrition, depending on energy expenditure and also what comes the next day, because recovery is key, especially in stage races,” explains the specialist, who arrived at the Team UAE Emirates shortly after Isaac del Toro He signed with the World Tour team.
How many calories does Isaac del Toro eat?
The variation in energy expenditure of a professional cyclist is enormous. According to Andrea Floresa calm day may require between one thousand 800 and two thousand 200 calorieswhile on long and demanding days—or in competitions—intake can exceed five thousand calories a day without any problem.
“There is a huge difference between one day and the next. It depends on the type of cyclist, their weight, their muscle mass and, above all, the intensity of the training. That is the real challenge of nutrition in cycling,” he points out.
The day usually begins with a hearty and varied breakfast, where carbohydrates play a central role. Cereals, oats, bread, pancakes, honey, fruit and juices form the base, accompanied by protein sources such as eggs, always adjusted to the day’s load.
During training or racing, nutrition becomes even more strategic. On hard stages, cyclists can consume more than 100 grams of carbohydrates per hour on the bike, which is equivalent to more than 400 calories per hour.
“Without eating during training or racing, it would be impossible to replace the calories expended,” says the nutritionist.
What is Isaac del Toro’s favorite food?
Beyond the numbers and the science behind food, Andrea Flores highlights the importance of the mental factor in the athlete’s diet. In the case of Isaac del Torothere is a food that has become almost emblematic: Nutella.
“He himself has said it in interviews. He really enjoys Nutella,” he says with a laugh. Although he recognizes that it is not a food with great nutritional value, he explains that its inclusion has a clear objective.
“It’s not just about nourishing the body, but also the mind. Sometimes a little bread with Nutella for breakfast or as dessert works as an incentive, almost like a reward. That also helps performance,” he concludes.
Thus, the feeding of Isaac del Toro It is built day by day, with scientific precision, flexibility and also with space for you to enjoy, like in every pedal stroke and sprint, every detail counts.
