I know to use what I’ve tested in training (mainly SIS bars & gels) and not try anything new in race day. So - in addition to carb loading the day before (or even 2 days before if you’re @Nate_Pearson !) quick tips please on fuelling strategy for the day of a 5 to 6 hour road event that’s 100 miles long with 7k feet (2,300m) ascent.
Depends. I’ve it’s a race. Just eat and drink what you eat in training. Just more often and frequently and much more than you thought it would be enough. I’ve it’s a race, you should calculate your intake of carbs and water and eat and drink from the beginning.
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My strategy in my last 100 mile mountain bike event was fairly simple but worked well.
I calculated my carb intake per hour per kg body weight. I filled small zip lock bags with an hours worth of carbs, for me this was Clif bars cut into 6 pieces, Clif Bloks (margarita flavour as they have extra sodium) and Skratch chews. My event had 3 feed stations per 50km lap. Each feed station I picked up a fresh bottle of Skratch that had a fresh zip lock bag attached and stuffed this into my jersey pocket
I was fairly regimented in reaching into my pocket every 15/20 minutes and grabbing
something to eat, having everything in bite sized pieces really helps with this.
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I aim for 30g of carbs per hour, 1 bottle of water per hour.
Definitely stick to what you know works!
For next time though, do have a play around with other food sources to stop palette fatigue. I’ve found bars and gels to be good, but into a long ride they quickly become old news.
Look at trying savoury things like Vegemite sandwiches (gday m8),
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This is what I was thinking- 30-40g carbs per hour seems to have worked so far. More solid stuff earlier and gels later. I know what you mean about variety. I just got the “feed zone portables” e-book to experiment before next season. Love the sound of vegemite sandwiches 
(or marmite as we call it here)
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Just 40g? I would try to hit 90 by a mix of fructose and (multi)dextrose. Specially if it’s such a long ride. Aaaaand you have to start well fuelled. If you are depleted from the beginning you can eat as much as you want, it won’t get you to the finish.
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“Research has also shown that the maximum rate at which carbohydrate can be used as a fuel is 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour of exercise (approximately 0.7 gm carbohydrate/kg body weight/hour).”
Now I haven’t viewed this research myself, but 90g an hour for me personally would be way to much. But it’s truly what works for you!
I rode 330km last Saturday, loaded for 48 hours before and had 30g carbs/hr
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Don’t know the study you are mentioning but it’s possible that there is a difference in the sources. For example take a look at SIS and Froome. They are talking about a combination of different sugar to increase the amount of carbs your body can handle. But to be honest: if the professionals do not have the one answer. How should we have? 
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