Punch Power SpeedTonic & SpeedOx: two allies to extend the season

September always marks a turning point in the season. The bulk of summer is behind us, the competition calendar on route is getting lighter, and there are only a few opportunities left to rub shoulders with the peloton before considering the break... or, for the most greedy, switching to cyclo-cross or even running. Whatever comes next, the start of the school year is a pivotal moment when we want to take advantage of the accumulated form, but without wasting it. It is precisely in this context that we have tested, on intense sessions such as a 2-hour race conducted at high speed — with an average heart rate close to 90% of the MHR — two gels from the range Punch Power : the SpeedTonic and  SpeedOx. In other words, a perfect environment to see what they had in their stomachs: at this level of intensity, there's no point in hoping to chew a bar or digest solid food. It's all about ease of absorption, digestibility, and immediate effectiveness.

By Jeff Tatard – Photos: ©3bikes.fr

SpeedTonic: the smart boost

Le SpeedTonic, lemon flavor, plays its role without detour: providing real support when concentration drops and legs start to lose their response. Its fluid texture and minimalist format make it easy to take during exercise, and its intake of fast carbohydrates combined with guarana wakes you up without causing a sudden peak. It is not a whiplash artificial, but a clear recovery, which restores lucidity and strength exactly when needed.

On our back-to-school outings, it naturally found its place in key moments. No need to overdo it: it does the job, then disappears. And that's undoubtedly the best quality of an effective gel: being there when you need it, then disappearing to leave all the space for the effort.

SpeedOx: Protected Endurance

Conversely, the SpeedOx (red fruit flavor) plays on the duration. Its specificity is the contribution antioxidant via natural vitamin C and polyphenols from grape marc. In short, it protects the body against oxidative stress generated by intense exercise, while providing carbohydrates for gradual assimilation.

Result: it fits perfectly into a long run where muscular and nervous fatigue accumulates. The feeling is clear: steady energy, without heaviness, without sickening sweetness, and above all, digestion is also completely transparent.

A game-changing format

The real surprise is also the format. These gels are small — much more than the usual 60 or 80g pouches that many are used to. Here, we have a format that we'll call "rocket format," compact, to slip into a jersey pocket without asking any questions.

The advantagestagis :

• Easier to transport, even when you travel light.
• Faster to swallow, which is important when you're already full and struggling to breathe.
• Less nauseating, since the dose is calibrated to be swallowed in one go.

The inconvenients :

• A smaller capacity means you need to have several for a long outing.
• Not always the most economical compared to large formats.

In practice, this format proves to be very suitable for short and intense competitions, or when you need to take something quickly without wasting time. Conversely, on very long events (ultra, granfondo), we might prefer to mix with more generous formats so as not to multiply the tubes.

When to use one or the other?

• SpeedTonic : perfect at the start, before a hill or at a moment that you define as a strategic moment. Its stimulating effect is clear, it helps to stay lucid and to maintain power when fatigue threatens.
• SpeedOx : ideal in the middle or at the end of a race, when you have to maintain a high and prolonged pace, while limiting oxidative stress and muscle fatigue.

Our opinion

In our opinion, the alternation between the SpeedTonic and  SpeedOx has a real competitive logic. The first is used to wake up the system, to regain tone and lucidity in intense or strategic phases. The second then allows you to stabilize energy, to limit oxidative stress and support regular exercise without creating digestive heaviness.

This is exactly the strategy we applied during our back-to-school race: start with a SpeedTonic at the right time, then switch to a SpeedOx when the pace has settled at a high level. The observation is clear: no drop in performance, zero digestive discomfort, and a perfectly maintained pace until the finish.

Beyond the immediate feeling, this confirms that these two products each find their specific role. SpeedTonic for impact, SpeedOx for durationAnd this is undoubtedly their real interest: used intelligently, they do not overlap, they complement each other.

Why they find their place in September

Back to school isn't just a transition: it's often the moment when we want to capitalize on summer form. To achieve one last performance, one last good result, maintain momentum in cyclo-cross, or attempt a running challenge, energy management becomes crucial.

And this is exactly where SpeedTonic and SpeedOx come in: gels that respect the body, that support the effort without creating jolts, and that allow you to extend the season in the best conditions.

At the end of the season, when opportunities to shine can be counted on the fingers of one hand, you have to know how to focus on the right levers. SpeedTonic et SpeedOx complement each other perfectly: the first to restore liveliness when the slope or intensity threatens, the second to stabilize the pace and preserve the body when the effort sets in.

Organic, digestible and easy to use, they fit effortlessly into the modern competitor's routine. Whether for finish strong on route, find a relay in the ploughing of cyclo-cross, or extend the adventure in running, this discreet but effective duo holds its place, and does exactly what is expected of it.

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