American Mike Curiak finished more than a full day ahead of his nearest
rival at this year’s Iditarod Trail Invitational. The SRAM-sponsored Curiak
completed the 1,100-mile race from Knik to Nome, Alaska in 17 days and two
hours.

Curiak, who lives in Grand Junction, Colo., was 26 hours ahead of the
runner-up.

“We had the usual [temperature] doses of 50 below zero, 75 mile-per-hour
winds, and feet of snowfall, all of which was expected,” Curiak said.

Curiak added that his SRAM XO-equipped bike handled the event extremely
well.

“I wished that I was as durable as it was,” he said. “No matter how
strong the wind or how cold the temperature, the XO never complained. But I
sure did.”