In stage 13, during a descent, the camera shows Jan taking a drink from a package. The commentators talked about how that particular drink was really popular among cyclists, and that each package was about 600 calories. Anyone know what it was?
I was wondering the same thing… Of course they mentioned that it tasted awful.
Extran carbohydrate drink. It’s in 99% of the feed bags in pro cycling.
It is a very concentrated solution of glucose with a tiny bit of flavoring added. Not for rehydration (although they make a hydration product as well.)
Actually, I think Extran has the taste part nailed. It doesn’t taste… great, but I can choke it down no matter how gassed I am. Very, very important.
Extran… Can we purchase this in the states? I have not checked, but I don’t remember seeing it around either. Is it similar to Enervit?
Extran is the bomb! I put it in a water bottle and add water to give it a sort of sour taste and can drink it all day. Knocking it back at full strength is too sweet for me.
I get it at my LBS and my LTriS. $3/box, so you don’t want to use it every single ride. There is also a powder, but I like the “burrito in a box” as my LBS calls it.
clm
It is available in the states (dist. by Zoeller sports marketing,) and it is quite different from Enervit. Like I said, the Carbo drink is essentially straight glucose syrup. Nobody else (that I know of) is doing anything so simple, straightforward, and right on the money.
Extran… Can we purchase this in the states?
It’s pretty easy to find online:
http://www.trisports.com/extran.html
http://www.skirack.com/browse.cfm/2,251.html
http://www.personalbestnutrition.com/cgi-bin/pbn/scan/se=Extran/sf=manufacturer/tf=category,%20title/sp=results3
http://www.bicycletires.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&grp=270
http://www.endurancezone.com/free.php?browsebrand=Extran&coupon=Extran
…
(froogle is your friend)
cool, I’m going to check this stuff out. Not so much because I saw it in the tour, but because it appears to be straight forward and focused on the business of prolonging your ability to hammer without all the fluff.
Thank you!
I’ve been drinking the powder Extran for a couple of years. It’s okay and works well on the bike as well as runs. The powder is only 100 calories. It taste like Tang (the astronaut’s drink years ago). Sometimes on a long run I’ve experienced a bit of gas from Extran but this is the worst case scenario. Usually, the drink is pretty good.
Whatever it was, I don’t want any. He was dropped like an ugly blind date.
-Robert
Yeah, he might as well of drank a couple beers 
.
He might as well put a nice prediket Gewerztreminer in his water bottles from here to the end.
As I said, two weeks ago, he will be no factor this year. You cannot let your body go to “WAIST” during the Winter and expect to compete with the big dogs in Le Tour. He shouldn’t have expected to have a life while he was racing. At 35 his life could have begun. 
Having said that, I’m amazed at his talent. Crummy Winter habits and he’s still in the top 10.
-Robert
Au contraire, I think it tastes quite good in comparison to all the other gels and the like out there. It is easy to get down and you’re not riding along looking like a cat who just licked peanut butter! It is pricey but it delivers three times the energy as a usual gel pack.
Well worth it for those long rides, or as a quick energy injection when you walk in the door after a ride.