World 70.3 champion Rico Bogen and his coach Joseph Spindler adopt the Cádomotus shoes “It has everything you could dream of in a cycling shoe.”

He represents the new triathlon generation and finally made his big breakthrough in 2023. And he did it with a bang: 22-year-old German Rico Bogen became World Champion at the Ironman 70.3 Lahti, in Finland. This elite athlete only goes for the very best, and chose to join forces with Cadomotus.

The young German athlete's star rose quickly in 2023, when he secured his first victory at the Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau, in Germany. He proved this was not a fluke just under three months later, when he wowed everyone in Finland and became the youngest ever world champion! In the coming seasons, the tall German triathlete Rico Bogen will be working closely with Cadomotus. It will be a two-way collaboration, he emphatically explains, something that both Bogen and Cadomotus are very keen on. “We can improve things if we do it together,” he says with conviction.

“I was amazed at how good this cycling shoe was.”

Bogen is extremely satisfied with Cádomotus' cycling shoes. When he first visited Cádomotus' headquarters in the Netherlands in November, he had already been thoroughly briefed on the shoes and was immediately impressed, he recalls. “I got into a conversation with Diederik about the shoe’s design and its benefits. I was amazed at how good it is. It has a very stiff and well-made sole,” he says of the shoe, which is designed with the Cádomotus technology developed for skating: a strong, heat-moldable carbon shell sole that allows for unprecedented efficiency in power transfer with virtually no loss of power.

The Missing Puzzle Piece for Excellent Results

In fact, for Rico's coach Joseph Spindler, the Cádomotus shoes were the deciding factor that sealed the partnership. “We’re always on the lookout for the best piece of equipment. And differences are often minimal because it’s all very high-end products. We’re always trying to find the minute gains that can make the difference,” he says. “We feel this shoe can help Rico’s results. It really feels like this is the missing puzzle piece for reaching even better results. I think it's a very good shoe. Not only you can adjust it perfectly to your foot because it's moldable, but it’s also 100 percent different from classic cycling shoes,” Spindler explained. “Those just have a sole, but Diederik uses a shell, which makes the shoe super stiff. That extra stiffness ensures that the power you generate goes into pushing forward and not into bending the shoe or the sole. I can tell you that it feels amazing: you get instant reactivity and power transfer. Nothing is lost. The shoe is also super comfy at the same time, because it's molded to your foot. So, you basically have the best of both worlds: a very comfortable, but also very powerful shoe.”

Flawless Power Transfer

Rico has been testing the cycling shoes extensively over the past few months, and saw for himself the confirmation of his expectations. “I feel how stiff the shoe is. I particularly like the power transmission at each pedal push,” he says, echoing his coach. “The power goes directly to the pedal and nowhere else. I appreciate that. Also, my calf muscles suffer less, which is great,” he points out, highlighting here an important bonus effect of the shoe's stability and pedaling efficiency: running becomes easier with fresher legs! “Although I have to say that I haven't tested the shoe in races yet, because competitions haven’t started. I'm curious to see how this plays out in races. I do expect it to improve my run. I also hope that the Chronos Aero, the shoe designed for middle and long distances, will provide me with a few extra Watts thanks to its aerodynamic shape. We still have to test it, but it looks very promising.”

Niek Heldoorn: "The enhanced foot support provided by Cadomotus shoes was recently demonstrated by German research institute geBiomized"

A Faster Cycling Start at the Transition

A fast transition is crucial, and Rico knows it all too well. When he first saw the shoes, he was skeptical about their applicability based on first impressions, but once he tried it, results proved otherwise. “At first I thought it wouldn't be easy to slip my foot into the shoe because it has two layers. But I tested it out and it fit like a glove!” He particularly liked the support right at the slip-in, even before the dial lock is fastened. “Partly because the shoe is so stiff,” he explains. “I want to be able to sit on my bike and get my feet into the shoes as quickly as possible. And here, I can jump on the bike in one go and they're right on.” The high-heel counter, acting like a shoehorn, helps him a lot in this regard, allowing the foot to slide into the shoe without resistance. “And that's very nice,” he stresses.

Alex Bok (Ku-Cycle), Diederik Hol and World Champion Rico Bogen

The Relationship between Rico Bogen and Cádomotus

“A partnership works best when you work together,” Rico reiterates. So far, Cádomotus developed all of their products in close collaboration with athletes and scientists. “If something doesn't quite go according to plan, you can easily change it. It's not a huge company where you don’t have a say because you’re just a cog in the machine. I can work in close contact with CEO Diederik Hol and you can adjust what you want. I am very happy we agreed on our current partnership.”

Physical therapist and clinical epidemiologist Sijmen Hacquebord: "A cycling shoe for triathletes that also allows you to run faster after cycling actually makes a lot of sense."

A Super Shoe that has Everything

“It's a super shoe,” concludes Spindler, satisfied. “I've tried a lot of things, tested many designs and raced with all kinds of different models. But this shoe is really comfortable, super stiff, lightweight, and aerodynamic. In short, it has everything, stands out from all the other shoes, and has everything you could dream of in a cycling shoe.”