The Giro d'Italia is a gruelling 21-stage race covering 3,386.7 km and 44,550 metres of elevation in just 21 days. Riders face not only opponents and challenging terrain but also fatigue. With only two rest days this year, recovery is crucial. By learning how and why Giro riders prioritise recovery, you can enhance your riding performance.

Rest is vital for muscle recovery and inflammation prevention, even more than you might realise. While there's no one-size-fits-all training and recovery plan, a common guideline is one rest day for every three days of intense training. To optimise your recovery, consider these strategies:

Prioritise sleep: Ensure adequate, quality sleep to aid muscle recovery and overall well-being.
Take rest days: Give your body a complete break from training on designated rest days.
Eat healthily: Consume balanced meals to provide essential nutrients for recovery and performance.
Follow your training plan: Adhere to your training plan, including scheduled rest days, to avoid overtraining and injuries.
Supplement with recovery shakes: Consider incorporating recovery shakes into your routine to support muscle recovery and replenish energy stores.

The 2024 Giro d’Italia has only two rest days, but what might surprise you is that riders will still ride on rest days. This is known as active recovery. If you’re tired from training, riding at an easy speed (conversational pace) with easy gradients and terrain, can be more beneficial than doing nothing at all.

Make sure you have the right tools to plan your training, both riding and rest, to get the most out of your riding. We’ll help you ride and recover to the best of your ability.