Time Trial Nutrition Guide – 20min, 40min, 1h Fueling Strategies

How should you fuel for a time trial? Time trial nutrition is simpler than road racing because events are shorter and intensity is maximal. For many TTs, you need surprisingly little during the event itself—but what you do need matters.

Get your complete nutrition plan with our Cycling Race Nutrition Calculator (select "Time Trial" as race type).

Why TT Nutrition Is Different

Factor	Road Race	Time Trial
Duration	1-6+ hours	10-60 minutes typically
Intensity	Variable	Maximal sustained
Opportunities to eat	Many	Few/None
Risk of bonking	High	Low
Gut blood flow	Moderate	Severely reduced

During a TT:

• Intensity is at or above threshold
• Gut blood flow is minimal
• There's no time to open wrappers or take long drinks
• Events are too short for glycogen depletion
• Pre-race nutrition is more important than during-race

Nutrition by TT Duration

Very Short TTs (Under 20 Minutes)

Examples: 10-mile TT, track pursuit, prologue

During-race nutrition: None needed

Strategy:

• Arrive with full glycogen (normal eating)
• Pre-race meal 3-4 hours before
• Optional: Caffeine 60 minutes before
• Optional: Carb mouth rinse just before start

The mouth rinse effect: Research shows rinsing your mouth with a carb solution (without swallowing) can improve performance in short, high-intensity efforts. Your brain senses carbs and reduces perceived effort.

20-40 Minute TTs

Examples: 25-mile TT, local club events, training TTs

During-race nutrition: Minimal

Strategy:

• Full glycogen stores (normal eating, not depleted)
• Pre-race meal 3-4 hours before
• Small carb top-up 30-60 min before if desired
• One concentrated bottle behind bars (if TT bike)
• Sip if comfortable, but not essential
• Caffeine if you use it

Bottle content:

• 200-300ml highly concentrated drink (60-80g carbs)
• OR water only (some prefer not having sticky bike)
• Minimal sipping—this is insurance, not essential fuel

40-60 Minute TTs (Hour TTs)

Examples: 40km TT, Olympic distance triathlon bike leg, 25-mile TT for slower riders

During-race nutrition: Moderate importance

Strategy:

• Full glycogen stores
• Pre-race meal 3-4 hours before (2-3g carbs/kg)
• Top-up 30-60 min before (gel or sports drink)
• Caffeine 60 min before
• One bottle with 60-80g carbs behind bars
• Consume 30-60g during event
• Focus on first half consumption (before fatigue sets in)

Practical fueling:

• Small sips every 10-15 minutes
• Don't disrupt aero position too much
• Aero bottle + straw makes drinking easier
• One gel at halfway mark is an option

60+ Minute TTs

Examples: Long regional TTs, ultra-distance TTs, long course triathlon bike

During-race nutrition: Important

Strategy:

• Carb loading 24-48 hours before
• Full pre-race meal (3-4g carbs/kg)
• Two bottles minimum
• Target 30-60g carbs per hour
• Include electrolytes if hot

At this duration, TT nutrition approaches road race principles — see our Cycling Race Nutrition Guide for detailed long-event fueling.

Pre-TT Nutrition

The Day Before

Timing	Action
All day	Normal high-carb eating
Dinner	Familiar, carb-rich, lower fiber
Evening	Good hydration
Avoid	Alcohol, heavy/rich foods

Note: Carb loading is optional for TTs under 60 minutes—normal glycogen stores are sufficient.

Race Morning

3-4 hours before:

• Normal breakfast
• 1-2g carbs per kg body weight
• Low fat, low fiber
• Examples: Toast with jam, oatmeal with banana, bagel with honey

1-2 hours before:

• Small top-up if desired
• Sip water/electrolyte drink
• Don't overeat

30-60 minutes before:

• Optional: Small gel or sports drink (25-30g carbs)
• Caffeine if using (3-6mg/kg, ~200-400mg for most)

The 10-Minute Pre-Start Routine

Time	Action
10 min	Final bathroom opportunity
5 min	Last few sips of drink
2 min	Carb mouth rinse (optional)
1 min	Focus, controlled breathing
Start	Maximum effort

Caffeine for Time Trials

Caffeine is particularly effective for TT performance because:

• Improves time to exhaustion
• Reduces perceived effort
• Enhances focus and concentration
• Works immediately on high-intensity efforts

Caffeine Protocol

Timing	Amount	Source
60 min before	3-6 mg/kg	Coffee, tabs, gel
30 min before	1-2 mg/kg (optional top-up)	Gel with caffeine

Example (70kg rider):

• 60 min before: 200-300mg (2 cups coffee or caffeine tabs)
• 30 min before: Optional caffeinated gel

Cautions:

• Test in training first
• Can cause GI issues in some
• May increase anxiety/jitters
• Don't exceed your tested tolerance

Hydration for TTs

Short TTs (Under 40 min)

• Arrive well-hydrated
• May not need to drink during
• If hot, take one bottle

Longer TTs (40-60+ min)

• Aero bottle essential
• 400-600ml minimum
• Include some carbs (30-60g)
• Electrolytes if hot conditions

Hot Weather TTs

• Extra focus on pre-race hydration
• Consider pre-cooling strategies
• May need more fluid during
• Performance will drop regardless—accept it and pace accordingly

Practical TT Fueling Setups

10-Mile TT Setup

• Pre-race: Normal breakfast, coffee
• Warm-up: Sip water
• Bike: Nothing (or one small bottle water)
• Nutrition: Not needed during

25-Mile TT Setup

• Pre-race: Normal breakfast, coffee
• Warm-up: Sports drink sips
• Bike: One aero bottle (250-300ml concentrated drink)
• Nutrition: Few sips during, gel optional

40km TT Setup

• Pre-race: Standard breakfast 3-4h before, gel 30min before
• Warm-up: Sports drink, finish 15min before start
• Bike: Aero bottle (300-500ml, 50-70g carbs)
• Nutrition: Regular sips, gel at halfway optional

1-Hour TT Setup

• Pre-race: Full meal 3-4h, gel+drink 45min before, caffeine 60min before
• Bike: Large aero bottle (500ml+, 60-80g carbs)
• Nutrition: Consistent sipping, aim for 30-50g total intake

Common TT Nutrition Mistakes

Mistake 1: Eating Like It's a Road Race

For a 25-mile TT, you don't need gels every 20 minutes. Pre-race nutrition + one bottle is plenty. Over-eating wastes time and causes GI distress.

Mistake 2: Neglecting Pre-Race Nutrition

The short event duration means pre-race is more important than during. Arriving with depleted glycogen from skipping breakfast is worse than any in-race strategy.

Mistake 3: Too Much Caffeine

More isn't better. Excessive caffeine causes jitters, GI issues, and can hurt performance. Stick to tested amounts.

Mistake 4: Drinking Too Much

You can actually over-drink before a short TT, feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Steady pre-race hydration, not chugging water.

Mistake 5: Disrupting Aero Position to Eat

Every time you reach for food, you lose time. For short TTs, minimize disruption—one aero bottle sip is fine, multiple gel openings are not.

TT-Specific Gear

Aero Bottles

• Between the arms position
• Straw/tube for drinking without raising head
• 300-500ml is usually sufficient
• Concentrated drink reduces volume needed

Gel Storage

• Tape to top tube if needed
• Front of shorts waistband
• Already opened and ready

Hydration Systems

• For longer TTs/triathlons
• Bladder in jersey pocket or frame
• Tube to aero bars

Key Takeaways

1. Short TTs (<30 min): Pre-race nutrition matters most; during is optional
2. Medium TTs (30-60 min): One concentrated bottle, small sips, maybe one gel
3. Long TTs (60+ min): Treat more like road race nutrition
4. Caffeine works well for TT performance (test first)
5. Mouth rinse can help for very short, all-out efforts
6. Don't over-complicate — TT nutrition is simpler than road racing

Plan Your TT Nutrition

Use our Cycling Race Nutrition Calculator to get specific recommendations for your TT duration and conditions. Select "Time Trial" as race type for optimized targets.

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• Cycling Race Nutrition Calculator - TT nutrition planning
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• Cycling Race Nutrition Guide - Complete overview
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