My Triathlon Journey

Nutrition Category: Energy Gels

In my first nutrition review of more, I will be bringing to the website over the coming months, I’m starting with the (Riba) Energy Gel from Veloforte – a natural energy gel I’ve been using for my recent international racing, being both natural and Informed Sport Tested.

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Clicking the link here or on the gels also gets you a 5% discount across all products at XMiles UK.

FYI: Despite being an XMiles Ambassador I purchase this product with my own money and am not given the product so reviews are honest and my genuine opinion, meaning you can trust this blog review from the opinion of an athlete unsponsored and of a singular brand and from the perspective of someone competing and using the nutrition in and to train for high level international competition.

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Nutrition Stats	Amount Per Serving (33g weight)
Carbohydrate	22.1g
Sugars	17.5g
Sodium	110mg
Caffeine	0mg
Salt	0.3g

The Brand – Veloforte are a British brand with an approach on natural and real food products, with awards and certifications like Informed Sport and Best Taste. Their range covers nutrition from energy gels and bars to drink mixes, protein and chews.

Why I Started Using the Energy Gels:

This year my international racing in triathlon has increased, heading out to Romania for a Junior European Cup and most recently representing GB at the Youth European Triathlon Champs in Kitzbuhel (Austria) last week, so not only for knowing I’m fuelling clean for Anti-doping purposes, being Informed Sport tested, but this is great for everyone so they can trust the food and nutrition they’re putting in their body!

My approach towards nutrition is trying to be as natural and use as ‘real’ food products as possible, so as well as being Informed Sport tested the Veloforte Energy Gel uses just a few simple and natural ingredients, shown below.

Ingredients – Veloforte Riba Energy Gel (Blackcurrant and Elderflower flavour)

Unrefined Brown Rice Syrup, Fruit Juice Concentrate (18%), (Apple, Blackcurrant), Maple Syrup, Water, Elderflower Extract, Pink Himalayan Salt

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Flavours –

There are other flavours available and naturally caffeinated options, but I’ve being using the Riba flavour, which is Blackcurrant and Elderflower, as it worked in training. As I try to use more real food than gels in training I’ve only being using them for prep sessions and races, but have had the opportunity to use them on about 10 different occasions over the past couple months in different scenarios including triathlon, cycling and running races.

Opinions –

Pros –

• Natural ingredients, no artificial flavours or sweeteners.
• Worked well for triathlon, running and cycling.
• Informed Sport Tested.

• The gel has a nice blend of flavour and is sweet, given it’s an energy gel so is designed to give you a sugar kick, but doesn’t feel like one that’s extra sweet or sickly.

• The texture and viscosity has a good balance. It’s not runny like water or thick like toothpaste and is smooth, making it easily digestible and good for getting down pre- and during races.
• Pure electrolytes, like Himalayan salt, help replenish vital minerals like sodium lost through sweat as well as provide an energy boost.

Cons –

• It would be good to see a connecting bit to the pull tab when you open the gel so you don’t get two separate pieces, which is better for stopping littering in racing and generally as well as keeping the whole empty sachet intact.
• A little smaller than other gels I’m used to at 33g but then maybe for some people that’s a good thing and not dissimilar from what they’re used to.

Testing –

As I made a couple international debuts in triathlon in Europe, starting with the Junior European Cup in Romania in August and the Youth European Triathlon Championships in Kitzbuhel (Austria) last week, I was looking for an Informed Sport Tested gel for some more clarity on what I was putting in my body, that was clean for Anti-Doping purposes but was natural at the same time. I’d been doing some smaller prep races and brick sessions, taking the gel before those like some of the crit races I’d been doing, which were around 35/40mins and an 1hr 1/4 long. Both times it provided a good energy supply which kept me at the front end of the race and most importantly at a point where I was pushing hard and at a high intensity, working well, showing the gel was working efficiently and providing a good energy release.

Also for sessions like a (semi-) brick session from MTB race to run (mechanical on bike meant I didn’t complete full race as planned) I’ve been showing the fitness is there and have used the gel again beforehand, and then being able to run around 3.00min/km pace for 2 and bit km off road after.

Verdict

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If interested in the gels and other flavours available you can follow the link here and there’s others on this page which take you to XMiles UK where you will get a discount code for 5% off automatically added to your basket when you add any item from any brand! Check it out and any of their range of top brands and products, thanks.

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