'Pure marketing' - Jumbo-Visma's bicarb use a storm in a teacup

Tiesj Benoot and Primoz Roglic lead way for Jumbo-Visma at Tirreno-Adriatico on stage 3
Tiesj Benoot and Primož Roglič lead way for Jumbo-Visma at Tirreno-Adriatico on stage 3 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

With Jumbo-Visma dominating the Classics, one word on lots of lips in Belgium this week is 'bicarb'. Could the secret behind the Dutch team's staggering spring success lie in a small heap of humble baking soda?

Probably not, as a host of riders and team bosses have poured cold water on any notion that a new marginal gain is having a revolutionary impact out on the road. 

Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.