Road: Trek Triathletes Pack TTXs For Kona

Ten Trek-sponsored triathletes, including three-time Ironman Champion and top-ranked American Chris Lieto, will compete in the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii on Saturday, Oct. 13th. All ten triathletes, nine of whom are members of the Timex Multisport Team, will race the 112-mile out-and-back course through Kona’s scorching lava fields aboard Trek Equinox TTXs. Lieto, a four-time Ironman Bike Course record holder, will race the new-for-’08 Equinox TTX 9.9 SSL, which sheds an impressive 300g off last year’s TTX frameset.

“Trek has the best bike on the market,” notes Lieto. “I know you expect me to say that, but it truly is the fastest and most comfortable bike I have ridden.

“I’ve set a few bike leg records over the years,” continues Lieto, “and I attribute that to the research that Trek does to make a better bike. The TTX is not only extremely fast, it’s stable too, which can make a big difference in the time it takes to cover 112 miles, especially when it’s windy like Kona usually is.  Now with the new bike [the Equinox TTX 9.9 SSL], I can be even faster because it weighs only 17 pounds!”

Originally conceived to give Lance Armstrong the fastest possible time trial bike for his final Tour de France championship bid, the TTX has been meticulously refined using sophisticated CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis and extensive wind tunnel testing into today’s tri-focused Equinox TTX. The benefits of all that testing are evident in critical details like the TTX’s lowered down tube, integrated fork crown, wide-stance fork blades, and internal cable routing. They’re details that add up to a considerable aero advantage that Chris Lieto calls “free speed.”

For the Timex Multisport pros and serious age-groupers heading to Kona, the wind-cheating profile of their Equinox TTX 9.5s provides the performance edge they need for personal victory in Kona. The nine members of the Timex Multisport Team qualified for Ironman Hawaii are:  Luis Alvaraz, Men’s 45-49; Rachel Ross, Women’s 30-34; Viktor Zyemstev, Men’s Pro; Alex Mrozczyk-McDonald, Men’s 25-29; Tom Soderdahl, Men’s Pro; Tim Hola, Men’s 30-34; Tamara Kozulina, Women’s Pro; Juli Fiocca, Women’s 35-39; April Gellatly, Women’s 18-24