The world’s most famous cycling race is in the middle of its final week, and Synergy Sponsored cycling group IAM Cycling is in the thick of competition.

Competing in the oldest and most prestigious cycling competition in the world, IAM Cycling is putting a world class effort into each grueling stage. Most recently, IAM Cycling’s Jarlinson Pantano won 1st place in Stage 15, while Jérôme Coppel took 4th place in Stage 13, and Stef Clement took 4th place in Stage 12. These Synergy sponsored riders are definitely making a name for themselves in the competition! Click here to stay updated on each stage and check the current ranking of all the competitors and teams.

This is IAM Cycling’s third time competing in the Tour de France. Over the course of three weeks, athletes endure a constant battle of mental and physical fatigue, changing weather and elements, drastic changes in elevation, as well as the logistical issues of crowding spectators and coordinating caravans and team cars.

Each stage of the race comes with its own set of challenges. In stage 9, IAM Cycling’s Leigh Howard found himself in a position that no one wants to be in—nearly left behind. After stopping to replace both wheels and eventually changing bikes, Howard was in danger of being left in no man’s land and was forced to chase down the group on the descent. To do this, Howard pushed himself to the limit and topped out his speedometer at 122.7 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour).

The Tour de France is a world class example of peak athletic competition. We are honored to know that IAM Cycling athletes are relying on Synergy products to push them through their difficult journey and hope everyone shows them their support as they push through to the last race day on July 24.

Every four years, international champions gather to participate in the ultimate test of athleticism and precision known to mankind—the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Like the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games showcase the tenacity and dedication of the world’s elite Paralympic athletes. Even though these athletes endure physical impairments, they push forward to become great in their sports despite the obstacles they face.

Sonja Tobiassen is no exception. She will be competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio on September 10 and 13 representing Norway in air rifle shooting.
Working as a nurse in Norway, Sonja noticed her muscles beginning to weaken in her mid-20s. At the young age of 25, she was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, an incurable disease that interferes with the production of proteins needed to form healthy muscle. Now, 20 years later, Sonja is in a wheelchair and living every day with love and gratitude.

“The little things really mean something to me,” Sonja said. “Things like friends and family and stopping to enjoy the flowers. I live a good life, an independent life, with my daughter who is 17. I’m grateful every day for a house and a car and a sport that I love.”

While in a rehabilitation center in 2010, Sonja participated in an air rifle shooting activity. One man in the room was floored by her natural aim and consistency. Curious to see if Sonja was just having a lucky day, he took her to a shooting simulator where she again proved her natural talent. Soon enough, the Norges Skytterforbund (Norwegian Shooting Association) learned of her gift and, to Sonja’s surprise, a couple years later she found herself competing in London’s 2012 Paralympics.

To prepare for her second Paralympic Games, Sonja is putting a great deal of focus into achieving her goals. Essential to her training and everyday life is being able to take special care of her health.

Like shooting, Sonja found her passion for Synergy by coincidence when Synergy products were first being introduced in Norway. Open to try any quality products that could aid in her energy levels, Sonja gave Synergy products a chance. She began taking Phytolife and Mistify, then incorporated ProArgi-9+ and e9. More recently, she has added Body Prime to her nutritional regimen. Over the years, Sonja has realized just how influential Synergy products are in her daily pursuit to maintain optimal health.

Within the next few months, Sonja will attend three training camps throughout Europe to prepare for Rio. Training has been an emotional roller coaster for Sonja leading up to this year’s Paralympics. When her muscles don’t cooperate, her performance suffers and it’s easy to become discouraged, but she does not give up.

“Our limits are in our heads,” Sonja said. “If you really want something and you work for it, it’s possible. When I got sick, I stopped working. I lost friends. I fell out of everything. Now, I travel around the word. I meet amazing people through my sport. I have a widespread family through shooting that is inclusive and caring. Shooting makes me get up in the morning.”

For most, finishing a marathon is an incredible feat of endurance and strength, but for ultramarathon runners, 42 km is just the beginning.

Ultramarathons are any race longer than the standard 42.195 km marathon. They range from anywhere between 50 km to thousands of kilometers, and some of these races take multiple days to complete.

For Marcel Höche, a Synergy sponsored athlete, these races are his life. At 22, the German ultrarunner is one of the youngest competitors in the sport. He is the German National Champion for the under-23s in ultrarunning and in 2015 he set a Best Performer 12h run for his category, meaning no competitor his age was running farther than him in a 12-hour period.

Marcel fell in love with competitive sports at 7-years old and ran his first ultramarathon when he was only 19. Since then, he has held a sincere passion for racing stating simply that it’s just what he likes to do.

His training is extensive and tedious, with daily routines constantly switching between long- distance runs (30 km at 4:20 per km) and speed sessions that allow him to push his body to its limits as an athlete. Due to the heavy physical toll caused by ultramarathons, Marcel began using Synergy products in February 2016 to help him train and to aid in his performance during competitions.

“When I started to train harder, I changed my diet and Synergy’s products have really helped me with that,” he said.

A big fan of Synergy’s V3 System, Marcel uses Mistify each day to help with the physical stress the sport places on his body.

He is also a firm believer in ProArgi-9+, using the products multiple times throughout the day both in training and in competition.

“I like e9 a lot, it has everything I need in a tough situation,” Marcel said. “Minerals, energy and amino acids. It really is a perfect mixture of everything that I need to perform well.”

But even with physical training, proper diet, and the help of supplemental nutrition, Ultramarathon runners are inevitably met with some very difficult moments.

“In every race I hit a wall,” Marcel said. “When that happens, it becomes incredibly difficult for me. The most extreme instance was when I set the 12 hour Best Performance in 2015.”

Marcel said that he had been running for over 7 hours and still needed another 5 hours in order to complete his performance, but his body was struggling and he started to shut down mentally.

“I began talking to myself,” he said. “I remember saying, ‘Marcel, it’s only one more marathon, just one more and then you will be the best in the world in your age class.’ I had to tell myself to keep going, to just do it. No matter what, I knew I needed to keep moving forward. And that mindset really saved me.”

Marcel has been actively competing in ultrarunning for the past 3 years, some of his latest achievements and results include:

1. 3rd Overall - Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival 65 Km 30.04.2016
2. 3rd Overall - Brocken-Challenge 13.02.2016
3. 2nd Overall - Stadtoldendorfer 12-Stunden-Lauf 11.-12.07.2015

Marcel continues to perform at top levels within the sport and is looking forward to continuing his good form for future races. He has his sights set on an ultramarathon race in Germany this summer and is fully prepared to put everything he has into giving his best performance.

Professional cyclists can never train enough. They train constantly to maintain and build both muscle and endurance. Even a few weeks off the bike can cost them in a race.

Synergy sponsored Swiss professional cycling team IAM Cycling is finding their footing this season and its riders are frequently claiming podium titles. Of course, there are crashes, injuries, and failures, too, but these elite athletes continue pushing and digging deep to give their best performances. Many of them trust Synergy products to get them through all of it.

Two IAM Cycling athletes spoke up about their love for cycling and for Synergy products. See what they had to say:

Dries Devenyns, Belgium

“When at races, the team provides us with a few Synergy products. Most of the time I use Phytolife and Mistify … they give me a good feeling, especially the Phytolife. It helps to maintain the digestive function of the body. We have to eat so much to provide the body with enough energy. It’s a bit like putting oil in a car I would say.

The hardest thing about cycling for me is the big stage races that are three weeks long. It’s hard to recover in between the races. Time flies by and in the third week fatigue hits really big. Overall, food is really important to refuel and it’s best to eat good quality food. The vitamins and minerals in Mistfy can help a lot. Quality food is vital for an athlete! Synergy offers great quality products, I would advise anyone to use them.”

David Tanner, Australia

“There are a few things together that make me love cycling so much—the training side, the racing side and team spirit, the beautiful places we get to see and ride through, and always striving for improvement and excellence.

Cycling has its highs and lows. Some days can be so hard with horrible weather and hilly terrain. Others can be a pleasure to ride your bike in. Regardless, we need to keep ourselves healthy and in recovery so that we can keep pushing the next day. I feel the Synergy products assist with this immensely, especially with immune system health. I don't have a favorite Synergy product because I think they are all good and equally important!

For any professional athlete, the quality of nutrition is of upmost importance, not only to assist in health and recovery, but also to assist in peace of mind that the products are clean and safe to take! This is the reason our team chooses to use Synergy products.”

Jimmy Rogers is a lifelong athlete, but really began testing his strength when he worked for Heineken many years ago lifting and carrying heavy cases and barrels of beer every day. As he grew stronger, he began to wonder what his body was capable of.

Jimmy has been bodybuilding for over 15 years and competes in multiple competitions. His love for the sport is apparent in his daily routines and activities, which reflect a health-conscious mindset. He spends countless hours at the gym, puts great effort into meal prep, and pays close attention to the nutrition he puts into his body.

Jimmy and his wife Louise run a nutrition shop in Naas Ireland where they act as distributors for a variety of supplements and nutritional products including Synergy’s products. It was a year ago that Jimmy first began using Synergy’s line of products and according to him, his experience has been incredible.

“I’ve loved my experience with Synergy,” Jimmy said. “Before the products, I was getting through my day but I was feeling tired.”

After he began using Synergy’s products he said that his daily activities seemed to become easier and that the products helped his body get into the swing of things that helped him find a beneficial routine which aided in his active lifestyle both inside and outside the gym.

Jimmy is no stranger to hard work, and being able to consistently perform at top levels in the gym can become a difficult task. To help with this, many bodybuilders take pre workouts in order to stay energetic and productive throughout their various exercises. Unfortunately, some pre workout supplements can have harmful effects on the body with extended use. With many of the available pre workouts having unsafe or overly processed substances, Jimmy decided to try e9 as an alternative to traditional pre workout supplements. Since using e9 he has felt increase in his energy levels and has continued to use it since.

Jimmy’s difficult routines and hard work have allowed him to be involved in countless bodybuilding competitions over the years; some of his accomplishments include:

1. 1st Place - Irish Amateur Bodybuilding Organisation (IABO) 
2. 3rd Place - Republic of Ireland Bodybuilding Federation 2012
3. 3rd Place - Mr. Ireland 2014
4. 3rd Place - Mr. Ireland 2015

Synergy is proud to have Jimmy as part of the team and looks forward to seeing all that he accomplishes in the future. We wish him the best in developing his Synergy business.

Nina Djordjevič’s lijst met atletische prestaties is op zijn zachtst gezegd lang en indrukwekkend. Op 9-jarige leeftijd sloot ze zich aan bij een atletiekteam, waar ze ontdekte dat ze talent heeft voor verspringen. Nina was een natuurtalent!


Haar prestaties bij wedstrijden bleven niet onopgemerkt en voor ze het wist, stond ze in de finales van het wereldkampioenschap voor junioren. Voor ze een volledige beurs kreeg voor het atletiekteam van Kansas State University, won Nina brons op het verspringen bij de Olympische Jeugdspelen.

Haar succes bleef groeien en haar prestaties in het verspringen zijn talrijk:

• Finale verspringen tijdens de 2014 Europese kampioenschappen atletiek in Zurich
• 12e plaats tijdens 2015 indoor Europese kampioenschappen atletiek in Praag
• Sloveens nationaal kampioen verspringen
• 4e tijdens het NCAA-kampioenschap (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
• 2-keer All-American-atleet
• Zilver in Big 12 Conference Championships
• Ze heeft het record verspringen van Kansas State University op haar naam staan
• Best Student Athlete van Kansas State University in 2011
• Eerste team van de Best Student Athletes in de VS

Nina kwam in aanraking met de producten van Synergy via een vriendin die de producten vertrouwde om weer in vorm te komen na haar zwangerschap. Omdat haar vriendin arts is, besloot Nina dat ook zij de producten kon vertrouwen. Ze begon met de producten uit het V3-systeem: ProArgi-9+, Mistify en Phytolife, en het duurde niet lang voor ze voelde dat de producten positief van invloed waren op haar gezondheid.

Nu verlaat ze zich volledig op e9 en ProArgi-9+. Beide producten, met ingrediënten van hoge kwaliteit, geven haar direct een energieboost en verbeteren haar algehele gezondheid. Daarnaast zijn Mistify en Phytolife onderdeel van haar dagelijkse gezondheidsregiem, vanwege de krachtige ingrediënten die bijdragen aan haar gezondheid in het algemeen. Nina herstelt momenteel van een voetblessure, maar ze gebruikt de producten nog steeds om haar herstelproces te ondersteunen.

Uiteindelijk is het Nina's doel om mee te doen aan de Olympische Spelen en het indoor wereldkampioenschap en ze rekent op de producten van Synergy om haar daarbij te helpen.