Ketones - Fuelling the Peloton

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP In this week’s Life in the Peloton pod, I’m taking a dive into the topic of ketones. Ketones arrived in the peloton just a few years ago, and to many people they are seen as a sort of wonder fuel, but to others they are still a grey area supplement. To get stuck into the subject I was lucky enough to chat to Michael Brandt, the co-founder and CEO of H.V.M.N, the ketone partner for team Visma Lease A Bike. Michael is a pretty handy athlete himself (with a 2:40 marathon time!), an all-round endurance sports nut and is one of the leading voices on the subject. In a similar way to when electrolytes first became commonly used in sports drinks just a few decades ago, Michael believes that it is only a matter of time before ketones are seen and used in the same light. As a pro rider I had previous experience using ketones at races and talking to Michael allowed me to finally be able to break down what the product really does and the science behind how and why they work. Michael also helps tackle the questions around the perceived taboo around ketones and gives some interesting insight as to why he thinks this came about in the first place. I also caught up with a good mate of mine George Bennett, who was fresh off the back of a very hard Volta Catalunya and was happy to chat about what ketone use is like for the guys inside the peloton. Having been a professional for over a decade in some of the world’s biggest and best teams, George is perfectly placed to explain the way that the trends have changed in the bunch with ketone use in the past few years, and to recount his own experiences using the supplement. It is an interesting subject, that needs more attention as we seek to understand what keeps the peloton improving and pushing the limits of performance. Whether you know a little or a lot about ketones, it is definitely worth giving the pod a listen to see how they are being received and used in today’s professional peloton. And if that is not enough, then as an added bonus, the team at HVMN have an offer for all Life in the Peloton listeners with a whopping 30% offer for orders when you use the code LIFEINTHEPELOTON with your order! Cheers! Mitch