Chef

Ulrike

The right fuel for the right results! During eight days, you will see the benefit of eating 100% fresh food, prepared on site, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but also amazing homemade protein bars based on a sports nutritionist's recommendations.

What is your daily life like?
Ulrike Vural: With three meals to prepare per day, plus energy bars and a few snacks, the days are busy. It starts early in the morning with breakfast, then I move on to making lunch when the team goes on the road. Everything must be ready when they come back from the ride. In the afternoon, I often have to do some shopping for the next day, and then I end my day with the preparation of dinner. It's a full time job but it's super rewarding, because you never see a plate coming back half empty here...

What are you preparing for them?
U.V The menu changes almost every week, even if some recipes come back regularly. We adapt to the seasons, to individual desires when possible, and to the - fresh - products that are found in stores. The idea is for it to be beautiful, good, healthy, and the right portions, it's very important. We also want them to discover new flavors and creative pairings, with simple recipes that they can make again at home. If they leave Mallorca with the urge to cook, that's the icing on the cake!

Is it different than cooking in a restaurant?
U.V Completely! Cyclists are hungry. Very hungry! I had been warned before coming but I admit it goes beyond anything I could have imagined. In terms of quantity and calories, it is colossal what they can swallow every day. You have to see their face when getting off the bike. With all the energy they burn, portions have nothing to do with a "classic" restaurant. We also pay great attention to the quality of the products we use. Exercising three, four or five hours a day is not trivial for the body, so you really have to be careful to recharge the batteries with the right fuel.

In terms of numbers?
U.V For some riders, we exceed 6000 calories by counting the ride and the rest of the day! The equivalent of the energy expenditure for three days of a "normal" person. It's crazy! The advantage with power meters is that you know exactly the calories expended by each rider, each day. The differences can be large depending on the weight and intensity of each person. We look at these figures after each ride. We are the only ones doing this. However, this is very important because it makes it possible to adapt the proportions to the real needs of each one, and to prevent a rider from being hungry again when leaving the table. There is nothing worse for a cyclist than having a craving at 5pm, because we know the rest… Anything can happen to satisfy a hunger pang, and often the worst: ice cream, candy, pizza, etc.

And the atmosphere at the Villa?
U.V It’s super user friendly. The team is practically living in a bubble, staff and riders mixed. We meet people with completely different backgrounds, but driven by the same passion. The atmosphere is super nice, sometimes it feels like a summer camp. We got a little older but we are still children at heart wanting to have a great time!