It’s dangerous to use the word “favorite” when talking about the fast-rising Norwegian at the 2022 Hawaii Ironman World Championships, because as any Kona veteran knows, your first day on the Queen K can sometimes be your hardest. That said, the newly minted Ironman world champion Kristian Blummenfelt is a stickler for details, and nowhere is that more obvious than his unusual-but-effective Cadex Tri—pictured above with his disc-wheel training setup (of course, not legal in Kona). We dig into the details of his race-day rig below.
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Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt will be riding his unique size medium Cadex Tri this week at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships.
Blummenfelt is running a SRAM powermeter with a 170mm crankset and 56/42t chainring.
The Norwegian’s pedals of choice are Shimano Dura-Ace.
Blummenfelt is running SRAM RED AXS eTap 12 speed with a 10-28 cassette.
Special touches on Blummenfelt’s custom-painted Cadex Tri include his initials in gold.
Blummenfelt is using Cadex four-spoke wheels and Cadex Aero 25mm tires at 80psi for race day.
His entirely unique Cadex-designed cockpit allows for a deep tuck and close access to fluids, data, and shifting.
Up front, Blummenfelt has some nutrition storage between his Cadex aerobars.
For data, Blummenfelt will use a small, simple Garmin computer; to shift, he’s installed wireless SRAM Blips.
In addition to the frame’s unique, top-tube-free shape, the Cadex Tri has plenty of space for extra storage.
More custom touches on the front of his Cadex Tri include Blummenfelt’s personal in-race mantra, “It hurts more to lose.”
Cadex has gone all in with customization—including gold-lettered initials.
Blummenfelt will be riding a Giant TT saddle out on the Queen K.
Blummenfelt has installed additional behind-the-seat hydration for the long day on the Big Island.
It’s hard not to root for Olympic and Ironman world champion Kristian Blummenfelt who takes his bike setup far more seriously than his photo ops.