Know what to do. When to do it. Where it matters.
A time-and-location-aware action plan that turns your Ride Brief intelligence into precise interventions — from pre-ride nutrition to post-ride recovery.
A plan, not a suggestion.
Most riders know they should eat and drink. Few know exactly when, how much, and how conditions change the calculation. The Ride Protocol places every action on your route timeline.
Pre-start hydration load
500 ml electrolyte drink. Sodium primes absorption.
Climb preload
Double gel intake 15 min before Passo Manghen. Last easy fueling window.
Immediate recovery
30-40g protein + 60-80g carbs within 15 minutes.
Pre-Ride
The protocol begins hours before you clip in. Nutrition timing, hydration loading, and equipment preparation — sequenced to your start time.
Pre-ride breakfast
High-carb meal: 120-150g carbohydrates. Complete 3 hours before start. Oatmeal with banana and honey, or rice-based meal.
Equipment check
Verify layering matches the Ride Brief. Pack rain cape and arm warmers. Load nutrition: 4 gels, 2 bars, 1 caffeine gel. Fill 2 bottles with electrolyte mix.
Pre-start hydration load
500 ml electrolyte drink. Sip steadily over 30 minutes. Complete by sign-on. Avoid plain water — sodium primes absorption.
Final preparation
Apply sunscreen. Check tire pressure. Confirm GPS loaded. Review wind alert: NW crosswind km 68-84. Mental rehearsal of pacing targets.
On-Ride
Every fueling window, hydration prompt, and tactical decision placed on your route — kilometer-specific and condition-aware.
First fueling window
1 gel + 250 ml drink. 45 minutes into ride, before first sustained effort. Early fueling prevents late-ride bonk.
Hydration checkpoint
Assess bottle level — target 750 ml/hr consumed. Temperature rising to 16°C. If behind on fluids, increase intake now before climb.
Climb preload
Double gel intake 15 min before Passo Manghen. Top up bottles at feed zone. This is the last easy fueling window before 18 km at 7.4% avg.
Summit layering
Add gilet before descent. Wind chill near 2°C. Reduce effort gradually over final 500m of climb. Begin descent protocol: hands on drops, feather brakes.
Crosswind alert zone
Entering exposed ridge section. NW gusts 25-35 km/h. Reduce speed, hold line, increase grip. This section lasts 16 km — maintain focus.
Bottle switch
Switch to caffeine mix for final 50 km. Maintain 80-90g carbs/hr through finish. If behind schedule, consider reducing second climb effort to preserve fueling targets.
Final climb descent prep
Remove gilet — temperature 19°C at valley level. Last gel 20 min before expected finish. Shift to preservation pacing.
Post-Ride
Recovery begins at the finish line. The protocol continues with precise nutrition timing and recovery interventions.
Immediate recovery
Recovery drink within 15 minutes: 30-40g protein + 60-80g carbohydrates. Begin rehydration: 1.5x fluid lost. Target 1L in first hour.
Active recovery
Gentle 10-min spin or walk. Change out of wet kit. Compression garments if available. Avoid sitting still for extended periods.
Recovery meal
Balanced meal: lean protein, complex carbohydrates, vegetables. Continue hydrating with electrolyte-enhanced water through evening.
Take it with you.
Export your Ride Protocol to your preferred device. Print it, pin it to your stem, or push it to your head unit.
PDF Document
Garmin Head Unit
Wahoo ELEMNT
Apple Watch
Print-Ready Card
Generate a Ride Protocol for your route.
Generate Your Ride BriefGet the briefing your ride actually deserves.
RideBrief is a new category of cycling tool — not a weather app, not a route planner. A complete pre-ride intelligence system.