{"id":2031681,"date":"2026-07-07T15:20:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T12:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2031681"},"modified":"2026-07-07T15:20:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T12:20:59","slug":"tour-de-france-riders-are-using-a-secretive-new-fueling-solution-that-could-blow-endurance-racing-apart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2031681","title":{"rendered":"Tour de France Riders Are Using a Secretive New Fueling Solution That Could Blow Endurance Racing Apart"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Jim Cotton<\/span><\/div>\n

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Updated July 7, 2026 10:06AM<\/div>\n
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A new fueling revolution might be starting right now at the Tour de France.<\/p>\n

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Riders are trialing the first generation of a world-first lactate energy gel that\u2019s got the potential to blow the limits of athletic performance.<\/p>\n

Speaking with Velo<\/em> on Tuesday, ExoLactate co-founder Aitor Viribay said his product could be as impactful as the first wave of the high-carbohydrate fueling revolution or the development of carbon-plated running super-shoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know this can be a game changer. And I\u2019m a scientist, not a businessman trying to sell the product,\u201d Viribay told Velo<\/em>. \u201cI\u2019ve been working on this for seven years. Big researchers have chased this for decades before me.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a real innovation that can be at the same level or bigger than the learnings about 120 grams of carbs [per hour],\u201d he continued. \u201cThe difference though is that 120 grams might be the limit for carbohydrates. You can barely push more.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe only way to keep pushing the limits of performance with fueling right now is with exogenous lactate. That\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Viribay was unable to comment on which athletes and teams use ExoLactate due to commercial and sponsorship sensitivities.<\/p>\n

However, Velo<\/em> understands the product was in demand by multiple WorldTour teams ahead of the 2026 Tour de France.<\/p>\n

The interest was so high, and the potential so groundbreaking, that one team is reported to have paid significant dollar to gain exclusive access.<\/p>\n

A first-of-its-kind fueling solution enters the Tour de France<\/h2>\n
Riders using ExoLactate at the 2026 Tour de France report no GI issues, lower RPE, and improved fatigue resistance.<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It seems that whichever Tour de France team \u2013 or teams \u2013 got early access to ExoLactate got lucky.<\/p>\n

The development of ExoLactate is generating a small wave of hysteria across the sports science community and the endurance elite. There\u2019s not been a WADA-compliant performance supplement to receive as much hype in decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first and most important thing the Tour de France riders are finding is that they are tolerating 20 grams of lactate per hour with no G.I. distress,\u201d Viribay told Velo<\/em>. \u201cThat\u2019s absolutely insane. Until now, you could only ingest milligrams.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far, the anecdotal feedback is that riders are finding a lower rate of perceived exertion, and their durability is better. And we\u2019re only at the start of discovering its potential.\u201d<\/p>\n

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ExoLactate gel has also been used by athletes this year at the Zegama Aizkorri mountain marathon and the Western States ultramarathon. They\u2019re the Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo of trail running.<\/p>\n

The gel will also be used at the Tour de France of ultra-marathons, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB).<\/p>\n

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Understanding lactate<\/h2>\n

But wait right there, isn\u2019t lactate bad? Doesn\u2019t it make you legs hurt?<\/p>\n

No. That old thinking is founded on outdated science.<\/p>\n

Lactate is the body\u2019s prime fuel source.<\/p>\n

It acts faster than carbohydrate, and is a key signaling molecule that boosts metabolic efficiency.<\/p>\n

At higher workout intensities, lactate production promotes carbohydrate oxidation over fat oxidation to provide a crucial source of fast energy.<\/p>\n

Viribay also believes there\u2019s potential for exogenous lactate to boost recovery, although that\u2019s yet to be proven.<\/p>\n

This misunderstood molecule is at the center of exercise metabolism, and now, for the first time ever, it\u2019s been bubbled into a gel.<\/p>\n

ExoLactate is on the brink of releasing the gel to the mass European market.<\/p>\n

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A rollout across the U.S. will follow soon after.<\/p>\n

ExoLactate: 5g lactate, 40g carbohydrates, and in use at the Tour de France<\/h2>\n
\"ExoLactate
These ExoLactate gels could be the biggest breakthrough in sport nutrition in years.<\/span> (Illustration: Courtesy ExoLactate)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Velo<\/em> first covered the groundbreaking product in early June. At that point, details were scarce and under close wraps.<\/p>\n

Viribay explained more to Velo<\/em> on Tuesday on a call.<\/p>\n

For context \u2013 Viribay is one of the most respected thinkers in fueling science.<\/p>\n

The Basque researcher was one of the first to push theories about high-carb fueling and was a key voice in Velo<\/em>\u2019s breaking work on the \u201ccarbohydrate revolution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Viribay staffed with Ineos Grenadiers and is now head of performance at the Salomon ultra running team.<\/p>\n

And as if he\u2019s not busy enough, the \u201cFrom Lab to Field\u201d lactate research group he founded seven years ago has been painstakingly developing ExoLactate for more than three years.<\/p>\n

Former WorldTour pro-turned trail runner Christian Meier has been central to its development and testing.<\/p>\n

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Viribay said ExoLactate has been a long labor of love \u2013 a quest for a perfect product.<\/p>\n

The result is a gel that provides 5 grams of lactate and 40 grams of carbohydrate in an optimal 1:1 glucose:fructose ratio. That\u2019s a sugar-load that\u2019s competitive with all the leading carb-only gels and drinks on the market.<\/p>\n

Viribay added that ExoLactate\u2019s mouth-neutral pH and lack of flavor set it apart from the bloated sport nutrition market.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been obsessed with creating the perfect gel. Even if you remove the lactate, it\u2019s a perfect carbohydrate product,\u201d Viribay said.<\/p>\n

In a world of sickly and acidic products that can cause gut rot, the gel is reportedly stomach-safe and tooth-kind.<\/p>\n

\u201cTexture, how it behaves in the stomach, pH, and flavor, they took us three years to develop properly,\u201d Viribay said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason we\u2019ve waited so long with this is we wanted the absolute ideal solution. We wanted it to be totally effective but respectful to the body.\u201d<\/p>\n

Too good to be true?<\/h2>\n
\"The
The potential of fueling with lactate is enormous but its real-world application is still to be proven.<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ExoLactate gels will retail at a price point similar to a top-tier energy gel.<\/p>\n

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If the product is as good as Viribay says it is, it\u2019s a fueling dream.<\/p>\n

It contains a pile of carbs, and it\u2019s stomach-friendly. And that\u2019s before we consider the X-Factor: lactate.<\/p>\n

But should we believe all this hype?<\/p>\n

Is it just a passing fad?<\/p>\n

New so-called \u201cwonder fuels\u201d bubble up and then fizzle out with every Tour de France cycle.<\/p>\n

Viribay accepted that while the potential of exogenous lactate is supported by decades of research, there\u2019s still a limited evidence base for its real-world application.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s wildly optimistic but understandably cautious about how long it will take to realize its full potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cExogenous lactate is so promising that it makes me dream,\u201d Viribay said. \u201cHowever, real evidence is scarce at present. Our hypotheses are based on mechanistic studies and metabolic knowledge. We have to keep that in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to further research its effects on athletes using this solution as a fueling tool.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The riders guzzling ExoLactate at the Tour de France couldn\u2019t be a much better set of guinea pigs for his pioneering product.<\/p>\n

Velo will have more on the science and potential of ExoLactate in a deeper follow-up post very soon. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Stay tuned for more detail on what could be a huge new step for endurance nutrition.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Jim Cotton<\/span><\/div>\n

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Updated July 7, 2026 10:06AM<\/div>\n
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[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-de-france\/tour-de-france-riders-trial-secretive-lactate-energy-gels\/”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Z8C_0130.jpg”] Jim Cotton Updated July 7, 2026 10:06AM A new fueling revolution might be starting right now at the Tour de France. Riders are trialing the first generation of a world-first lactate energy gel that\u2019s got the potential to blow the limits of athletic performance. Speaking with Velo on Tuesday, ExoLactate co-founder Aitor […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,71],"class_list":["post-2031681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2031681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031681\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2031681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2031681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2031681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}