What It Takes It's all about comfort for one triathlete, even if that breaches his pal Lance's sense of cool

With his March win at the Portobelo Triathlon in Panama, off-road
triathlete Jimmy Riccitello, 39, shows no sign of slowing down.
On May 18 he'll tackle the Balance Bar Adventure Race in New York
City; two weeks later he'll compete in the Xterra West
Championships in Big Bear, Calif. His keys to success: training
rides with pal Lance Armstrong and this gear.

1
BIKE
K2 Razorback SL 2003 ($4,399) (www.k2bike.com)
"There isn't a trail system or obstacle I fear when I ride this
thing. It's a fully suspended bike that comes with Shimano disk
brakes, like the ones used in cars. The brakes are highly
effective in wet, muddy conditions. It's like riding a motorcycle
that weighs only 22 pounds."

2
SHORTS
Hind Ultra Drylete Cycling Short ($70) (www.hind.com)
"You've got to keep your boys comfy, especially for off-roading.
There's nothing worse than chafing down there and having your
crotch go numb. A lot of guys go with short shorts, but I like
more coverage. It gives me extra muscle support for running."

3
WET SUIT
Vector Pro Xterra ($450) (www.xterrawetsuits.com)
"Just as big as preventing chafing is making sure you don't
freeze your huevos off. The neoprene rubber is five millimeters
thick but feels superflexible. I usually swim about a minute
faster per mile in a wet suit, which is great because I want to
get the heck out of the water fast."

4
HYDRATION PACK
K2 Hydrofoil Drinking System 2 L ($40) (www.k2bike.com)
"I used to think bladders were dorky. But wearing one keeps my
back cool, and it's hands-free, which is superconvenient for
mountain biking. Still I refuse to wear one if I'm doing a ride
with Lance. Road guys think they're uncool, and I'd get laughed
out of the ride."

5
GPS
Timex Speed and Distance System ($225) (www.timex.com)
"It's tough to get an accurate mileage read with off-road
triathlons. I don't use a global positioning system during a
race, but I like to go over the course a few days before and
casually let the race director know that the run is really six
miles, not 4.8 as advertised."

6. Clif Shots ($1.10 apiece) (www.clifshot.com); 7. Hind
Pavement Optional glove ($30) (www.hind.com); 8. TYR Technoflex
2.0 swim goggles ($12) (www.tyr.com); 9. TYR Wrinkle-Free
Silicone swim cap ($10) (www.tyr.com); 10. TIME Scolop
cross-country mountain bike shoes ($225)
(www.timesportusa.com); 11. Saucony Grid Xterra trail running
shoes ($80) (www.saucony.com); 12. Giro Pneumo bike helmet
($159.99) (www.giro.com); 13. Xterra water bottle ($3)
(www.xterragear.com); 14. XTG race jersey ($45)
(www.xterragear.com); 15. XTG mesh cap ($15)
(www.xterragear.com); 16. TriSports Race-number belt ($5.99)
(www.trisports.com); 17. Rudy Project Kerosene sunglasses ($125)
(www.rudyprojectusa.com); 18. DeFeet Aireators socks ($10)
(www.defeet.com); 19. Clif Bar ($1.39) (www.clifbar.com); 20.
Red Bull ($2) (www.redbull.com)

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