Stop chasing aero. Buy 54 seconds with baking soda.

A recent European Journal of Applied Physiology study looked at trained cyclists completing two 40 km time trials:

• Condition 1: Placebo
• Condition 2: 0.3 g/kg sodium bicarbonate in a carbohydrate hydrogel mini-tablet system (Maurten Bicarb System) The supplement timing was personalised to each rider’s peak blood alkalosis.

Results: Riders were ~54 seconds faster on average with the bicarbonate hydrogel. GI issues were minimal compared to traditional bicarbonate loading.

How to Apply It

Who it’s for:

• 10–40 km TTs
• Breakaway or crit finales
• Key simulation workouts

Trial protocol:

1. Pick a repeatable TT or steady 60 min effort.
2. Week 1: Ride with no supplement (or placebo).
3. Week 2: Take 0.3 g/kg sodium bicarbonate using a hydrogel or mini-tablet system. Start ~120 min before if you can’t measure blood pH.
4. Track time, power, HR, RPE, and GI comfort.

Tips for race day:

• Keep your pre-race meal low in fibre and fat.
• Practise your timing — peak alkalosis can vary from 60 to 150 min post-ingestion.
• Hydrate steadily, and if you use caffeine, combine only if you’ve trialled it in training.

Caution:

0.3 g/kg is a big sodium load. If you have high blood pressure, kidney issues, or a sodium-restricted diet, consult your doctor first.

Disclaimer:

This study used the Maurten Bicarb System from Maurten AB, Sweden. One author is now employed by Maurten, but the paper states the company had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.

Full study:

PubMed – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go...

Full text – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/a...

On my mindChasing Better Self

On the bike, it’s easy to think the real competition is the guy up the road, the one you’re chasing before the next climb. But most of the time, the real race is you against you. The rider you are today versus the rider you want to be, the version that holds the wheel when it hurts, fuels well, and stays present when the mind starts to drift.

Life’s no different. Every day is a choice between feeding the habits and thoughts that move you forward, or the ones that quietly pull you back. In training, small wins stack up, a better line through a corner, holding form into a headwind, until they’re instinct. Off the bike, it’s the same. Push enough in the right direction and making the “right” choice becomes second nature.

The finish line isn’t a single ride or a single day. It’s arriving at a place where the right moves feel effortless. That’s worth chasing in cycling and in life. Keep pedalling toward it.

Damian