The Tour de California is here! For the next eight days, some of the worlds' top cyclists will race to the finish line each day as part of the 2007 AMGEN Tour of California. And, according to sports nutritionists, the best drink to get the pros through this grueling 700-mile race is not a high-tech commercial sports concoction, but good old fashioned chocolate milk.

"Cyclists need incredible strength and endurance to compete in a race like this," stresses Christina Lazzaretto, a registered dietician and sports nutritionist with San Francisco-based MV Nutrition. "Chocolate milk naturally contains a unique combination of proteins and carbohydrates to help cyclists perform at peak levels and recover day after day."

Lazzaretto's recommendations echo a study in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism published last year. Indiana University researchers studied cyclists and found that when given chocolate milk 30 minutes after practice, they recovered better and more quickly when compared with other commercial sports beverages.

"In a sport where stamina is absolutely essential, the body needs the nutrients in chocolate milk," says Lazzaretto. "I recommend it to all my clients."

But it's not just pro cyclists that need milk, say the experts. Active adults and kids benefit too. Chocolate milk contains calcium, protein, and carbohydrates -- all in the right combination -- to provide the energy and nutrients essential to strengthen bone, rebuild muscle cell and recover quickly after a vigorous workout or play.

"Plus the good news is it doesn't cost a bundle," says Steve James, Executive Director of the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB). "And it's right there in your fridge."

As one of the fastest growing sports in the country, the 700-mile Amgen Tour of California bike race is expected to draw more than a million spectators. The race kicks-off February 18th in San Francisco and finishes February 25th in Long Beach.

Nutritionists recommend a cyclist (average weight 150lbs) should drink between two and three eight-ounce glasses of chocolate milk after training or competition.

AMGEN Tour of California

The AMGEN Tour of California brings professional bicycle racing to the California coast. The world's top professional teams will compete over an eight-day, 700-mile race on a route that includes the California redwoods, wine country and the Pacific Coast. This year, the initiative will support The Wellness Community and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. For more information visit

CMPB

The California Milk Processor Board was established in 1993 to make milk more competitive and increase milk consumption in California. GOT MILK? is a federally registered trademark that has been licensed by the national dairy boards since 1995. GOT MILK? gifts and recipes can be viewed at . The CMPB is funded by all California milk processors and administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.