I know it's weird, but . . . 2-3 hours before the start of a long competitive ride or event I drink 400 calories of a 7:1 mix of maltodextrin and flavored whey protein, dissolved in a pint of water. Then I start eating almost as soon as I start riding.
Before ordinary training rides, I might eat anything at any time or nothing at all. In these cases, it depends more on training goals than on what's going to stay down and fuel me best.