The nutritionist who designs Isaac del Toro’s diet

Can you imagine having a two-egg omelet, three slices of bread, a big bowl of oatmeal with honey and fruit, and a glass of juice for breakfast? 

This might seem like a hearty breakfast to many, but for high-performance Mexican cyclist Isaac del Toro, currently number one in Mexican cycling, it’s just the start of a typical day of training.

The precise composition of every gram and every item of food consumed by “Torito” is determined by Andrea Flores, the nutritionist and Tec de Monterrey graduate responsible for creating and controlling the international cyclist’s nutritional strategy.

Andrea, who also competed at cycling’s elite level with the Mexican national team, accompanies Isaac to competitions and sets his daily diet based on his training load.

Isaac del Toro (22) is a Mexican cyclist who rides for UAE Team Emirates XRG and was recently crowned Tour of Germany champion; his achievements include becoming the first Mexican to stand on the podium at the Tour de France, where he took third place.

Isaac del Toro’s nutritionist

Andrea met Isaac del Toro in late 2022 and has played a part in his professional development ever since.

“I started working with Isaac in late 2022. He did very well during the 2023 season. I’d been living in Scotland since August of that year because I was finishing my master’s degree, and that’s when he won the Tour de l’Avenir, which is a very important race at the under-23 level.

“Isaac signed with UAE Team Emirates, the team he’s currently with, at the end of 2023,” she said.

It was UAE Team Emirates that approached the nutritionist to join the youth team, and although she hadn’t planned on working with a team, she accepted and later worked with the elite team as well.

“They said, ‘Andrea, for the first time, in addition to the World Tour team for the top racers, we’re going to have a development team: the under-23 team.’ I took them up on the offer. There was no way I was going to pass up that opportunity,” she recalled.

Although Andrea left the team for personal reasons and to set up her own practice in Mexico, she continues to work as the cyclist’s nutritionist.
 

¿Isaac del Toro’s competitions and diet

According to the nutrition specialist, the diet of a cyclist like Isaac del Toro varies depending on the demands of each training session and competition.

Andrea explains that it’s not necessarily about eating different foods than those consumed by someone who exercises recreationally, but about the amounts and the strategy used to space them out.

“Lots of people have started writing to me and asking, ‘Can you treat me and can give me Isaac’s diet?’ and it honestly doesn’t work that way. 

“I tell them that he doesn’t eat anything they don’t eat. Obviously, the differences (and they’re huge) are in the portions because at the end of the day the amounts professional cyclists consume are staggering,” she said.

In cycling, power meters provide precise measurements of the energy athletes expend during training. 

This information helps Flores modify the diet based on the energy expenditure for each day.

Consequently, Isaac’s diet varies on a daily basis. Energy expenditure can vary considerably depending on the duration and intensity of a workout or competition.

“Actually, the nutrient whose intake varies the most depending on the type of workout you do is carbohydrates.

“This is known as carbohydrate periodization: we typically try to keep protein and fat intake consistent every day regardless of whether we’re training or not. The main thing that changes is the amount of carbohydrates consumed,” she explained.

“I started working with Isaac (del Toro) in late 2022. He did very well in 2023.”

How does nutrition affect high performance?

Andrea explains that while talent and discipline are essential for success in sports, nutrition is also key.

“Ultimately, performance is determined by a multitude of factors. The first is genetics, which we cannot control; what we can control, however, are other factors that help us reach our full potential.

Factors include training, sleep, opportunities that come your way and, of course, nutrition,” she said.

Although proper nutrition diet itself does create champions, poor nutrition can prevent athletes from reaching their full potential.

“A perfectly planned diet won’t turn someone without good genetics into a world champion, but poor nutrition may definitely prevent someone with the potential from getting there.”

In the case of cycling, nutrition plays a key role because of the energy it requires. 

Cyclists need to conserve their energy reserves during a race so that they can perform at their best during decisive moments and maintain their intensity.

As far as Isaac del Toro is concerned, Andrea pointed out that nutrition is part of his daily routine, and over time, eating according to his training needs became a habit.

“A perfectly planned diet won’t turn someone without good genetics into a world champion, but poor nutrition may definitely prevent someone with that potential from getting there.”

Cycling: More than a sport for Andrea

When she was a child, one of the rules at home was to play sports, and after trying out several different sports, Andrea discovered a passion for cycling.

In fact, she was selected for the Nuevo León state team where, under the guidance of Cuban coach Nelson Delgado, she won a medal at the National Olympics and made the Mexican national team to compete in the Junior Pan American Games in 2013 and 2014.

She gave up competitive cycling when she went to university, but she has continued to stay in shape by working out on her bike.

“The truth is that I always knew exactly what my priority was. I never wanted to be a professional athlete. I really enjoyed that phase, but I knew full well that once I started my career, I would stop competing and just do sport for fun.

“I was fascinated by how nutrition can impact performance, beyond your physique or appearance, and help you feel better during workouts.”

Andrea decided to do a degree in Nutrition and Holistic Wellbeing on the Tec’s Monterrey campus, and she specialized in sports nutrition by taking an international course offered by the Mexican Cycling Federation and an International Olympic Committee certificate program, which later led to a master’s degree.

What is Isaac del Toro’s diet?

Andrea shares what a Mexican cyclist might need on regular training days, although her meal plan is actually tailored specifically to Isaac’s physical activity:

• Breakfast: a two-egg omelet, three slices of bread, a big bowl of oatmeal with honey and fruit, a glass of juice, and jam.
• During training: carbohydrates while riding, mainly sports drinks, gels, bars, and gummies. He can consume between 60 and 150 grams of carbohydrates per hour, depending on duration and intensity.
• After practice: a snack.
• Lunch: 300–400 grams of rice or pasta, plus protein, salad, bread, and juice.
• Dinner: a hearty meal that may include rice or pasta, protein, and vegetables

However, on competition days racers may need as many as 8,000 or 9,000 calories, most of which they consume during their rides.

“While on his bike, he usually has sports drinks containing carbohydrates in addition to energy gels, energy bars, and gummy snacks,” she added.

Next stop: the 2026 Road World Championships

Andrea will accompany Isaac del Toro to his next international competition, the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, to be held on September 20-27 in Montreal, Canada.

To get the job done, Andrea will have to study the route, calculate Isaac’s hourly carbohydrate needs, procure any supplies needed, and manage the budget.

“On race day, we’ll plan the supply stations where team staff provide cyclists with food and water to maintain their carbohydrate intake,” she concluded.

Isaac del Toro: Mexico’s best cyclist

He is a professional Mexican cyclist born in Ensenada, Baja California, on November 27, 2003, who currently rides for UAE Team Emirates.

Del Toro is considered one of the greatest cyclists in Mexican history:

• Winner of the Tour de l’Avenir (under 23) in 2023, a historic achievement for the country. 
• He became the first Mexican to reach the podium at the 2026 Tour de France by finishing third in the overall standings.
• Del Toro captains the Mexican road cycling team as it heads to the World Cycling Championships.

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