GENR8 makes a supplement called Vitargo S2 that I’ve been using consistently for over a year now. Our late Portland Director, David Oliphant, explored lots of options for a nutrition supplement sponsor for the team because we wanted something that worked well for pre-loading, racing and recovery and it had to taste good because we all know how easy it is to overdose on bad flavors in a race. David found out about Vitargo so he contacted Anthony Alamada for some samples and to have a conversation about the product. Eventually, several of us on the team tested the product along with a dozen others over a season and we all concluded Vitargo actually worked as a race fuel, and it had enough range in flavors to work for us.
One of our riders is very sensitive to gluten, dairy, etc. and maltodextrin often caused him stomach distress. He was able to use Vitargo with no problems and personally wrote a letter thanking Anthony for finally creating a supplement he could use.
David became so impressed with the product that he went to work for Anthony as a product rep.
I knew the product worked and I’ve tested myself time and time again, riding with it for a week, then without it, and I always have more energy and recover faster with Vitargo than anything else. Now that I’ve been riding with it in my bottle for 2 seasons I can say it’s the best energy product I’ve ever used.
Genr8 Vitargo S2 Inside
How it works for me:
Fill a big water bottle half-way
Add 2 level scoops of Vitargo
Cap and shake vigorously for 30 seconds
Top off bottle
That’s enough fuel for me for 2 hours.
Sure, anyone can ride for 2 hours with no fuel, but the difference here is, when consuming Vitargo during those initial 2 hours, I can produce more power for longer and then rides over 2 hours become significantly easier and my legs feel much better.
For every additional 2 hours, I consume another 2 – 2.5 scoops in a 20oz bottle.
For electrolyte and water replacement, I consider that a separate process from the fuel. This way, I can balance the three variables more easily.
Yesterday, I rode my bike for over 7 hours at varying intensity, with about an hour of threshold work, and consumed three bottles of Vitargo (approx. 7.5 scoops, or ~1100 calories). At the end of the ride my stomach was empty and I felt hungry but there was no sense of bonking. It’s a rather amazing feeling and I’ve had to learn to disassociate hunger from getting tired. My legs felt great last night and today on my ride I felt 100% recovered. Sure, it’s just my experience, but this is the best fuel I’ve found for riding my bike and I felt motivated to share!
You can contact me if you’re in Bend and want a sample, otherwise, you can purchase GENR8 Vitargo S2 locally or online at GNC .
The Elkhorn Classic was a good race for the team this year. A breakdown of the TAI Team highlights:
- Standish mixing it up in the crit with the big boys of Zteam and Bendbroadband, so close to a prime!
- Mike Brown’s 60 mile breakaway on the Dooley stage with two of the best TT 3′s in the state… Marcus and Spence teamed up to block once they got away at mile 9 on a 102 mile stage ( in the pouring rain to end a long day on the bike).
- Rob Angelo – 3rd in the crit (with a fist pump), and a break away attempt at mile 70 on Dooley… showed guts on his part and that he is ready to mix it up at the next level
- Bill – Typical crit for Bill… riding strong in the 2′s, killing it as usual.
- Mixing Vitargo and NUUN for the ultimate endurance fuel…
TAI getting ready for the 1st Stage of Elkhorn
Above, Bill Warburton, Spencer Newell, Marcus Biancucci, Rob Angelo, Mike Brown.
David Oliphant suffered a cardiac arrest on Tuesday June 8, 2010 while racing his bike at Portland International Raceway.
He was one of the driving forces behind the TAI Cycling team and a very well known racer in the Northwest. He was always working to be the Best All Around Rider in OBRA and was sitting in 3rd place as of Tuesday night.
David first joined up with Spencer Newell and Bill Warburton in 2004 to expand the TAI Cycling team from Bend into Portland and was always on the lookout for new talented riders in the peloton, he was always eager to get the team to train together and learn from one another and he was the glue that held the Portland crew together year after year. Many cycling teams come and go every couple years but David believed in this team and helped it grow to what it is today.
We’re very sorry to see David leave us so soon and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, his brother, sister and the rest of his family and friends.
We have all lost a very important person and teammate.
In memory of David Oliphant, there will be a silent memorial lap at PIR on June 15th at 6:30PM. Duncan, his brother, will lead this ride at the front with his friends. David’s family will be attending. Please join us celebrate and remember David.
A Memorial Service
Will be held on Thursday June 17 at 1:00 PM at the Southlake Foursquare Church 1555 SW Borland Rd., West Linn, OR.
We will post more information here as it is made available.
Some thoughts from his TAI teammates:
David always had words of encouragement for me and was the first to tell me I was riding well or to offer advice on how to get back into some sort of fitness. He was a great motivator when it came to training and he was also a great comedian while on those training rides which, thankfully, helped passed the long hours in the saddle. Tonight a friend of his, Craig, put it best when he said the one word to describe David was gentle… I agree. The guy was just as easy going as they come. The Saturday rides won’t be the same…
Thanks for everything, David… you will be missed.
Jerry
Dave was one of a kind… he truly was. I know there is no need to say this to anyone who knew him, but it makes me feel better doing so. (Who else would put pictures of their CATS on his facebook page?!)
We all loved Dave, this I know. He was a very good friend to me… and to everyone. It’s still surreal to me having seen him before and during the race, buzzing away, moving through the peloton with that typical “Dave” style of pedaling his machine, and then seeing him after he left us, lying so still, with friends and family around him.
Dave was also so much to this team… one of it’s earliest members, and certainly the biggest bit of glue that held the Portland group together. Personally, my life was enriched by having Dave as a part of it. I love that guy.
Peter
Dave brought me on the team when I lived up in Oregon this season, and really truly had a passion for making people happy and promoting the sport of cycling. The little bit I did get the meet and race with him, was more than fun. He had such enthusiasm and was one of the main reason’s I joined TAI.
