How to avoid cramps ?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Cobblestone
What do I have to do to avoid cramps in my legs?

Do more training - prepare your body before racing/training by what you eat and stay hydrated.

In many cases they come around 130km in a hard ride.

You probably were not drinking any electrolytes during the race. Fill your water bottles with an electrolyte drink such as Gatorade, Powerade etc. and drink small quantities regularly thru the race to replace the lost fluid and cations such as Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium in your body.

Last sunday I had them some kilometers after the eyserboschweg in the amstelgoldrace tourversion.

By the time the cramps come on it's too late to do anything about them. Won't matter how much you drink, you're gone. It's happened to me recently on a training ride for which I didn't prepare properly.

After a hard ride replace the carbohydrates in your body within 20 minutes of stopping, you'll find this aids your recovery and you'll be better prepared for your next ride.

Is there any specific training ? Any tips ?
What causes them ?

I have heard the theory that nutritional intake can effect cramps. Magnesium and Zinc are essential to the movement of muscles and without one the muscle will not contract or release as it should.

I try to 'work' the cramp out if I have one. It takes a while but when it goes you feel so much better.

Brian