Eight endurance-trained males completed an exhaustive bout of exercise (∼90 min) on a cycle ergometer followed by ingestion of carbohydrate (CHO)-rich meals (6470 % of energy from carbohydrate) at 1, 4 and 7 h of recovery. Duplicate muscle biopsies were obtained at exhaustion, and 3, 6 and 18 h of recovery. Despite the large intake of CHO during recovery (491 ± 28 g or 6.8 ± 0.3 g kg−1), respiratory exchange ratio values of 0.77 to 0.84 indicated a greater reliance on lipid as an oxidative fuel. However, there was no net IMTG utilization during recovery. IMTG content at exhaustion was 23.5 ± 3.5 mmol (kg dry wt)−1, and remained constant at 24.6 ± 2.6, 25.7 ± 2.8 and 28.4 ± 3.0 mmol (kg dry wt)−1 after 3, 6 and 18 h of recovery. Muscle glycogen increased significantly from 37 ± 11 mmol (kg dry wt)−1 at exhaustion, to 165 ± 13, 250 ± 18, and 424 ± 22 mmol (kg dry wt)−1 at 3, 6 and 18 h of recovery, respectively. PDHa was reduced at 6 and 18 h when compared to exhaustion, but did not change during the recovery period. Acetyl-CoA, acetylcarnitine and pyruvate contents declined significantly after 3 h of recovery compared to exhaustion, and thereafter remained unchanged. We conclude that IMTG has a negligible role in contributing to the enhanced fat oxidation during recovery from exhaustive exercise. Despite the elevation of glucose and insulin following high-CHO meals during recovery, CHO oxidation and PDH activation were decreased, supporting the hypothesis that glycogen resynthesis is of high metabolic priority.