An athlete can only train correctly and burn carbs efficiently when he eats a balanced diet and takes care of his health. That´s why there is great demand for the services of specialist nutritionists and fitness coaches who prepare individually tailored eating plans designed to enhance the performance of their clients.
Graduate in Sports Science Stephan Nüsser is employed as a performance diagnostician by the ADAC to advise the contestants in the MX Masters series: "Diet plays the same role for motocrossers as the high-grade fuel for their bikes. The better the diet, the more powerful is the ‘engine´ inside the man. It is especially true of the younger riders that their stamina falls away as race day progresses and their performance dips. Consequently, they need to ensure they are getting an adequate supply of slow-releasing carbs (no industrial sugars!) via their food and drink intake. Especially when the ambient temperature is high, it is important to consume enough liquid, including electrolytes. We recommend not only mineral water but also fruit cordials – three parts water to one part juice."
For ADAC MX Masters rider Hannes Volber and two budding ADAC MX Youngster Cup talents Nils Gehrke and Jon Mundhenk, a healthy diet is essential in their chosen career as motocross racers. None of these three could excel in the sport if they were indisciplined in their diet and unable to resist the temptation of junk food. "In the morning, I eat cereal with fruit and make sure that I am already taking in a lot of fluid," explains 23-year-old Volber. "For lunch, there will be plenty of carbohydrates with energy bars to follow as an afternoon snack. The evening meal is strong on salad and meat. In this way, I am able to draw on more reserves from my body and steadily boost my performance."
Jon Mundhenk is shocked by the yo-yo effect that results from unhealthy eating. The promising 19-year-old from Bokel in Schleswig-Holstein makes conscious choices in his diet to ensure that his body regenerates as quickly as possible: "I eat hardly any sweets or fast food. That would undo all my hard work and training. I prefer to eat scrambled eggs and pasta, because they contain lots of protein and boost my energy levels."
Nils Gehrke (19) also resists temptation with an iron will during training and race weekends. "I notice it quite clearly in my energy resources. I function much better if I´m rigorous in terms of diet and omit the little treats." Dave Versluis agrees: "As a professional sportsman, you are responsible for taking care of your body and getting the magnesium and salt balance right. Otherwise, you are simply unable to give one hundred percent." In the evening, though, the 19-year-old Class 2 rider from the Netherlands is not quite so assiduous and is quite content to eat microwaved food and mashed potatoes.
For Masters rider Angus Heidecke and ADAC MX Youngster Cup contestant Nico Busch, proper nutrition plays only a minor role. While both of them eat sparingly on race days, for the rest of the week, they make only a half-hearted attempt at a balanced diet. "I can´t do without my supply of nougat chocolate or chocolate ice cream," says 24-year-old Heidecke from Freiberg (Saxony) with a chuckle. Nico (20) goes even further and does not even worry about what foods might do him good: "I´m not aware of it making any difference, so I actually don´t bother at all. The positive aspect is that I avoid sweet and fatty foods anyway, as they upset my stomach. My favourite food is just bananas and pasta, and that´s not the worst choice for a sportsman."
Davide von Zitzewitz (22) from Wangels in Schleswig-Holstein is equally relaxed about the issue. The ADAC MX Masters rider had initially tried to convince his mother that she should assist with a suitable diet, but his request fell on deaf ears: "My mother said she has no desire to cook an extra meal especially for me. I can understand that too, so I just eat whatever appears on my plate. And as my mother serves very healthy and delicious meals, I don´t have to worry about my energy levels."