Sponsor Highlight: Team Sport Beans/NTTC

While enjoying the 70 degree weather on a recent easy ride I did some brainstorming about my blog and decided to add a new feature of highlighting a sponsor each month. Note to reader - this is not meant to be a shameless marketing tool which my sponsors have requested. I simply wanted to share some info on the great people who are helping me be my best!

To kick things off for 2009 it made sense to start with Jelly Belly's Sport Beans since Jelly Belly is the title sponsor for my team, Team Sport Beans/NTTC. You may have read one of the recent press releases from our top shelf team director, Mark Wendley, about this year's squad. I am stoked to have Alexis Smith & Lauren Jensen return on the women's side as well as Jeff Piland on the men's. First-year team members Jessica Jacobs, Leah Daugherty, Daniel Bretscher & Ben Hoffman are certain to add some excitement to the mix!

Team Sport Beans/NTTC was originally founded in 1992 by current team director Mark Wendley who at the time was racing professionally. The early years saw the likes of Mike Pigg sporting the NTTC colors. After a 11 year hiatus, the team returned with a new title sponsor in Jelly Belly, makers of the Sport Bean. There has been some rumblings about the legitimacy of a candy company getting into the sports nutrition biz, and quite honestly the Sport Beans brand has exceeded initial expectations. With four original flavors of Berry Blue, Lime, Orange, Fruit Punch and two newer caffeinated flavors of Watermelon & Cherry, Jelly Belly is able to offer endurance athletes & active people some serious portable power! My favorite flavs are orange, lime and the watermelon when I want a little extra giddy-up. Each packet of Sport Beans contains 100 calories, 80mg sodium, 40mg potassium, 25g carbs and 19g sugar. The caffeinated packets are the same with 50mg caffeine. There is no HIGH fructose corn syrup in the beans.

Keep it smooth...
Brad