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DANIELA STARTS 2019 WITH NEW COURSE RECORD

XLAB Champion Daniela Ryf, started 2019 off with TORPEDO SPEED, dominating on the bike during 70.3 Oceanside and clenching a new course record.
Ryf shaved almost 3 minutes off the previous record, with a winning time of 4:09:19. Post-Bronchitis and a coldish start in Oceanside didn't halt her from flying.

Gear Used:
- XLAB Torpedo Versa 500 Front System
- XLAB Carbon Wing Dual Rear Carrier with XLAB Gorilla 10 Carbon Cages and an XLAB Mini Bag.

Daniela Ryf Wins her Second World Title of 2018

XLAB Champion Daniela Ryf hit the Kona World Championship like a storm, not only claiming her second World Champion title this year, but doing so after enduring two jellyfish stings seconds before starting the swim.
Daniela defended her world title and broke her own bike course record while using XLAB equipment. Ryf claimed her 4th consecutive full distance victory in Kona.
The Angry Bird has made this a year of showing the world what true champions are capable of, and just how far XLAB gear can take you. Congratulations, Daniela!
Float like a butterfly, sting like jellyfish!

Gear used by World Champion:
- XLAB Torpedo Versa 500 Front System with XLAB Vestito Insulation Cover.
- XLAB Carbon Wing Dual Rear Carrier with Twin XLAB Gorilla 10 Carbon Cages and XLAB Mini Bag.

Daniela Ryf Defends Half Distance World Title

XLAB Champ Daniela Ryf fought hard to defend her 70.3 World title, but she came away with the win, with only 3+ minutes separating herself from 2nd place on a very challenging course.

Despite 2 malfunctions on the bike and having a fast swimmer up front, Daniela quickly cycled into 1st place on the bike, with her trusty XLAB Hydration & Repair storage weapons, keeping her lead into T2.

Daniela makes the history books again with this win, claiming her 4th 70.3 World Title win her 4th half distance world title. A feat no male or female triathlete has ever accomplished. Daniela next heads into training in the lead up to the big race in Kona where 2nd place finisher Lucy Charles will once again provide exciting competition!

Daniela relied on her trusty Torpedo Versa 500 front hydration system for her torpedo speed hydration, and a multiple world champion winner already, Carbon Wing rear hydration system coupled with a Mini Bag and Gorilla XT cages for the tough road conditions.

Daniela Ryf’s Frankfurt Performance a Shot Heard Round the World

XLAB Champion Daniela Ryf all but hammered her name into the history books, and sent a clear message to any doubters that she is ready for another Big Island showdown. Not only did she crush the female field at the European Championship, but crushed the majority of the mens field - finishing an impressive 7th overall; tailing 3x Kona Champion Jan Frodeno by under 38 minutes.

The utterly impressive haul didn’t end there, as she also shattered her own 2015 course record by 13 minutes and sealed her name as the new bike course record holder despite road construction that increased the leg by 3 miles. Her new best female bike time of 4:40:55 was only 12 minutes and 19 seconds short of the top men’s bike split.

What are Ryf’s choice in aerodynamic equipment when crushing course records? Her optimal race day kit for posting the earth-shattering 8:38:44 included the TORPEDO VERSA 500, the only bicycle accessory to be nominated for the 2016 Interbike Innovation Award. She rounded out her course-blasting kit with the highly-acclaimed CARBON WING rear system with high-grip GORILLA XT Cages. Her repair storage tucked neat and rattle-free between the cages using the MINI BAG.

Ryf Rocks Switzerland

Ten minutes was all that separated #XLABChampion Daniela Ryf from the 1st place male. Her blistering fast pace at 70.3 Switzerland clocked her across the line 15 minutes before the second place female. From the moment she exited the water, Ryf was out-of-sight, clinching a bike split nine minutes faster than the chase.

What was Ryf’s choice in aerodynamic advantage to conquer the field? Her optimal race day kit for posting a bike only eight minutes slower than the fastest male pro bike split included the Torpedo Versa 500, the only bicycle accessory to be nominated for the 2016 Interbike Innovation Award. She rounded out her course-blasting kit with the highly-acclaimed Carbon Wing rear system with high-grip Gorilla XT Cages.Her repair storage tucked neat and rattle-free between the cages using the Mini Bag.

Hauschildt Flies High over Texas

XLAB Champion Mel Hauschildt is flying high over Texas after a run of huge wins in the Lone Star State. She kicked off the 2018 season with a powerhouse 4:07:55 at IRONMAN 70.3 Texas, clinching the day’s second fastest bike split of 2:18:49. Hot on her heels was fellow XLAB Champion Mirinda Carfrae, whose 2nd place finish of 4:09:50 marked her return to racing after the birth of her new daughter.

That weekend didn’t end the hot performances Hauschildt had planned for Texas, as she returned on 4/28 for the North American Championship in The Woodlands. She stayed in striking distance of the field on the bike, keeping fueled and hydrated with the Torpedo Kompact 500, the award-winning aerobar hydration system that was recently named 2018 Best in Fueling Systems by Triathlete Magazine. She emerged from the T2 in prime position to cross the finish line with a 12 minute lead over the second place finisher. We’re looking forward to a star-studded season by the full slate of XLAB Champions!

3 Ways to Speed Up Your Current Bike

3 WAYS TO SPEED UP YOUR CURRENT BIKE

Believe it or not, one of the easiest ways to lose time on the bike is to ride your bike as is. There are a few key areas on your bicycle – that if left open to the elements – end up producing a significant amount of drag and drastically slow you down.
Luckily, there’s a few easy ways to fill these slow-you-down hot spots to make sure you are reaping maximum benefit from your precious training time.
The easy chart below shows the low pressure blue areas that are the main culprits in slowing you down. They’re the prime spots to reduce drag and pick up speed by adding a few accessories.

Image courtesy of Cervelo

1. Stem Slow Downs

Excluding some of the higher-end superbikes, most stems are not level with the top tube. This leaves a significant window for swirling low pressure to take away from your speed.

A quick $25 - $50, fast-install nutrition storage upgrade like a Stealth Pocket 100 or Stealth Pocket 400c can fill this space and save nearly 123 – 156 seconds in a Full Distance race.

2. Boost Bottle Locations

The area behind the rider has the greatest potential for speed increases. Think of the significant benefits of drafting. When a rider drafts behind another rider, the rider behind has a reduction in power required due to having less drag as they are riding in the low pressure wake of the rider in front. This can be as high as a 29% drag reduction. The other result is that the rider in front also goes faster as the air sees the two riders as virtually connected and the airstream jumps the gap between the riders, causing a lower drag on the front rider.

A properly designed rear carrier like the Delta 105 or Carbon Wing can give you the benefits of a rider drafting behind you, saving 102 – 129 seconds in a Full Distance Race.

3. Increase the Speed of Your Aerobars

Properly fitted in the aero position, you are at your strongest, fastest and most powerful. But aerobars are also the prime spot for a sudden speed slow-down. A simple break from the aero position to grab a quick sip from a bottle mounted on the downtube can be an immediate brake to your speed.

How do you shore up this drag-inducing hot spot and stay hydrated?

  1. Mounting a bottle between the aerobars keeps your hydration accessible without forcing you out of the aero position to drink. Bottles with a straw like the Torpedo Bottle allow you to keep your head down and remain at optimal speed.
  2. Ensure the frontal area of the bottle mount is extremely thin like the Torpedo Versa Mount.
  3. Fill the gap between your arms as far forward as possible by positioning your computer upfront using the Torpedo Versa Computer Mount.

Drinking from a properly engineered complete aerobar hydration system like the Torpedo System 50+ or Torpedo Versa 200 or carbon fiber Torpedo Versa 500 can save anywhere from 112 – 242 seconds in a Full Distance Race.


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