“I finished my glass every time” – To drink or not to drink after a Tour de France stage win?

The days of riders smoking cigarettes on their bikes, swigging wine mid-stage, and popping anything that dulled the pain are long gone, but the question of alcohol at the Tour de France still lingers, especially when it comes to one glass of champagne after a stage win.

Speaking to Nieuwsblad, several of the Tour’s biggest names shared their thoughts on that post-stage toast. So who is all for it, and who are the nay-sayers?

Tim Merlier, who’s already claimed two stage wins in this year’s race, says the bubbly is very much part of the ritual. “I finished my glass every time,” he said. “We really do drink small glasses, and I think it’s a nice tradition.”

Of course, it isn’t just about the drink. When a rider has won a stage, they are expected to give a speech and thanks to their team when having the evening meal. Is a drink a necessary part of it?

Soudal - Quick-Step nutritionist Karolien Rector doesn’t see a problem with it. “Everyone clinks their glasses for group spirit, but not all riders finish it,” she said.

Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Gianni Vermeersch backed that up: “We actually do drink champagne here too, just one glass, no more. Winning a stage in the Tour is truly unique, and that glass is part of realizing that you haven’t just achieved something.”

For Intermarché–Wanty’s Laurenz Rex, it comes down to taste and mood. “For me, it depends on whether it tastes good or not. If it tastes good, then we definitely drink it,” he said. “As a cyclist, you always have to find the right balance between performance and mental well-being. And I think a glass of champagne helps you mentally more than it does physically.”

Edward Theuns agrees it’s mostly symbolic. “There’s certainly no exuberant celebration or drinking; that’s simply not acceptable during the Tour,” he said. “I’ll have a drink poured for me, mainly to feel like I can raise a glass. For me, it’s purely about tradition.”

And then there’s Oliver Naesen, who takes a slightly different approach...

“Sometimes I have two,” he admitted. “But we really have to beg for a second glass. A stage win like that in the Tour can change a rider’s life, so champagne is part of that. If I ever won a Tour stage, I would definitely jump in the champagne,” he laughed. “But maybe that’s why I don’t win.”

Of course, modern cycling science has a different take. In a race where glycogen stores are everything, alcohol isn’t ideal.

“Champagne does contain sugars they need after a stage,” explained Jemme Terryn, dietitian at Intermarché–Wanty. “But the problem is, of course, the alcohol.”

Terryn broke it down: alcohol slows the conversion of glucose to glycogen, interferes with muscle recovery, and dehydrates, at the exact moment riders are supposed to be rehydrating and replenishing.

“Alcohol reduces the absorption of carbohydrates by your muscles,” he said. “Your glucose is converted into glycogen much less efficiently. The liver also has to break down the alcohol before it can start storing glycogen again. That delay is the main issue.”

Britt Lambrecht, nutritionist at Lotto Dstny, put it bluntly: “If we were to win a stage, it would obviously be a big party for us, and everyone who wants to can have a drink. But I would advise riders in teams that win four, five, or six stages not to celebrate with a glass of alcohol every time.”

The general consensus among team nutritionists is that one glass, especially champagne or wine, isn’t disastrous. “Those are fairly pure drinks, much more so than beer or spirits,” one noted. “And if you follow your recovery plan besides that glass, then it’s fine, although I would limit it as much as possible anyway.”

The key, they say, is not letting the moment overshadow recovery. “Riders should especially ensure they consume enough carbohydrates in the evening so they have enough fuel the next day.”