Reading, eating early, and no red meat: Mathieu van der Poel shares tips for better recovery

Those who want to improve on the bike obviously need to train hard. But proper recovery is just as important. How do you do that? Mathieu van der Poel shares some tips in the Whoop Podcast to be ready quickly for your next training session.

"I'm not someone who weighs my food," MVDP responds when asked if he follows a very strict diet. "But I've been doing this for so long that I know what’s good and bad for me. I also know what portions I need to eat."

What’s most important, Van der Poel knows, is to avoid certain things. "I try to avoid alcohol during the season. Sometimes I have a glass of wine on Sunday evening, but I never drink too much during the season," he says. "I also avoid red meat. That really has an impact. And I make sure to eat really early in the evening. That makes a big difference in how well I sleep."

Reading
Van der Poel has more ways to improve his sleep quality (and thus his recovery). "Reading before bed helps me recover better and fall asleep quicker. And before I go to bed, I always take magnesium," says the leader of Alpecin-Premier Tech, who was also asked whether the golf course is his favorite place to recover on a rest day. He didn't hesitate long with his answer: "Exactly!"