Training day, two days before Milan - Sanremo: Today was a relaxed day again with regenerative training. We rode 110 kilometers in a small group within three and a half hours. For dinner I ate more carbohydrates than in the last days. As on Saturday, there is race over 300 kilometers called Milan - Sanremo on our schedule.

My menu, Thursday, 22 March:

Breakfast: three slices of brown bread, two with jam and banana, one with egg

After the training: a bowl of cereals with fruits, a slice of whole-grain bread with chestnut cream, two pears

Dinner: a plate of pasta, a plate of risotto

Drinks: 3 l still water during the day, a cappuccino for breakfast, a bottle of water at the training

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Day off after the tour: On the day off after the race I tried not to eat too much, because we were only exercising relaxedly for two hours (about 60 kilometers). However, the "daily allowance" of fruits and pasta to fill the carbohydrate stores was not to be missed. In the afternoon I bought whole-grain bread - very good for a change after all the white bread of the last eight days.

My menu, Wednesday, 21 March:

Breakfast: a bowl of chocolate-kellogs with pieces of peach, two bread rolls with jam

Lunch: a plate of pasta with tomato sauce, mushrooms, peas and pieces of meat

Dinner: two slices of whole-grain bread with honey and chestnut cream, a banana, a bowl of cereals, two pears

Drinks: 3 l of still water during the day, a cappuccino for breakfast, half a bottle of water in the training

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7th stage: Today, I didn't really eat a lot. During the race, two bottles were enough. In the evening, I allowed myself two chocolate bars for dessert. Today's a day off, so I hope for food a la carte. It is now three days to Milan - Sanremo, which I will use for training and recuperation. I'd like best to cook by myself again. But I'll probably have to wait until next week.

My menu, Tuesday, 20 March:

Breakfast: a bowl of cereals with yogurt, two bread rolls with nutella and chestnut cream

During the race: a fruit bar, four slices of white bread with jam

After the race: a baguette (with ham, tomato and mozzarella), an apple

Dinner: a big mixed salad, a plate of ham (thin slices) with parmesan, two chocolate bars

Drinks: 3 - 3.5 l still water during the day, a cappuccino for breakfast, two bottles (1 l), one with water, one with minerals

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6th stage: Today, a hard stage with a mountain finish at about 1.100 meters was waiting for us. Despite the day's efforts I wasn't really hungry at dinner. The appetite decreases after seven days of not too varied food.

My menu, Monday, 19 März:

Breakfast: one and a half bowls of cereals with milk and yogurt, two bread rolls with nutella, chestnut cream and banana

During the race: a protein bar, a suger gel, a fruit bar, four slices of white bread with honey

Dinner: a plate of pasta with vegetables and parmesan, a steak, medium, a piece of birthday cake (today was Mirko Celestino's 33rd birthday)

Drinks: 3 - 3.5 l still water during the day, a cappuccino for breakfast, five bottles (2.5 l) of water (three of them with minerals)

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5th stage: Today was a good day for me. The time trial was very demanding but with 20 kilometers not too long, so that I didn't have to make special "provisions" for the race. I like to warm up riding on the street before a time trial. Today it was about 20 kilometers, then another hour of warm-up in the hotel and the 25 kilometers from the race back to the hotel. Altogether I needed two bottles of water.

My menu, Sunday, 18 March:

Breakfast: a bowl of cereals with yogurt, two bread rolls with nutella/banana, chestnut cream and ham

Before the race: a protein bar, a suger gel

After the race: a plate of boiled potatoes

Dinner: a plate of pasta with tomato sauce and pieces of courgette, a piece of duck breast, a piece of shortcrust cake

Drinks: 3 - 3.5 l still water during the day, a cappucchino for breakfast, two bottles (2 l) of water before the race

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4th stage: Today's stage was shorter again, so I ate less for breakfast and didn't have pasta or rice. In the hard finale with a mountain finish over 3 kilometers I had an extra suger gel.

My menu, Saturday, 17 March:

Breakfast: a bowl of cereals with yogurt, a bowl of cornflakes, a coffee, two bread rolls with chestnut cream respectively honey and pieces of banana

During the race: one and a half fruit bars, four pieces of white bread with honey, a sugar gel

After the race: a bowl of cereals with milk, an apple

Dinner: a plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, vegetables with parmesan, a steak, medium, a piece of shortcrust cake

Drinks: 3 - 3.5 l still water during the day, a cappuccino for breakfast, four bottles (2l) during the race: two with still water, two with minerals
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3rd stage: Today was the longest stage over 213 kilometers with a hilly finale. Therefore, my breakfast was a bit bigger than in the last days. In the race I didn't hve any special duties, I arrived in the finish with the first bigger pursuers' group.

My menu, Friday, 16 March:

Breakfast: a bowl of cereals, two bread rolls with chestnut cream, rice with olive oil and parmesan

During the race: two fruit bars, three slices of white bread with jam and cream cheese, three slices of white bread with honey

After the race: a bowl of cereals, two shortcrust rolls with jam filling

Dinner: a plate of pasta with olive oil and parmesan, tomatos and olives, chicken with optatos, a slice of shortcrust cake

Drinks: about 3 - 3.5 l still water during the day, a cappuccino and a glass of fruit juice for breakfast, five bottles (2.5 l) during the race: three with still water, two with minerals

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2nd stage: Today, another medium stage was on our program, I didn’t really have to work a lot and could more or less just ride along. In the race itself I ate a bit more than yesterday – just because today’s stage was about 30 kilometers longer.

My menu, Thursday, 15 March:

Breakfast: a bowl of cereals with a banana, two slices of white bread (with chestnut creme and omelette)

During the race: a protein bar, an energy bar, three slices of white bread with jam and cream cheese, three slices of white bread with honey

After the race: a bowl of cereals with milk and yogurt, an apple, two oranges and a few biscuits

Dinner: a small salad, a plate of pasta with olive oil and parmesan, a plate of vegetable risotto with a piece of meat

Drinks: about 3- 3.5 l still mineral water during the day, a Cappuccino (at breakfast), during the race four bottles (2 l): two with still water, two with minerals

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1st stage: The first stage of Tirreno-Adriatico with three mountain classifications was of medium difficulty. I didn’t have to work hard, so I ate an average amount during the race and drank three bottles. If I had had to work harder, I would have eaten another energy bar.

My menu, Wednesday, 14 March:

Breakfast: two bowls of cereals with two bananas, a bread roll with omelette

Before the race: two energy bars (fruit and protein), four slices of white bread with jam and cream cheese

After the race: an apple, a banana and a bowl of cereals

Dinner: a small salad, potatoes with a plate of pasta with parmesan and pieces of vegetables, a piece of beef

Drinks: about 3.5 l still water during the day, a cup of coffee for breakfast, during the race three bottles (1.5 l): two with still water, one with minerals

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On our day of arrival for Tirreno-Adriatico I ate regularly. There was a strike in Italy, so I had to wait at the airport in Germany for four hours. After I arrived I trained for an hour in order to loosen my legs. Regarding the nutrition on the day before the race it is especially important to fill the carbohydrate stores again.

My menu, Tuesday, 13 March:

Breakfast: three slices of whole-grain bread with jam

3 p.m., after the arrival: cereals

Dinner: Risotto as a starter, potatoes with poultry

Drinks: about 3.5 l still water during the day, milk for breakfast, some sparkling water for dinner