Stinger Buzz

The entire crew here at Honey Stinger is excited to pass along some big news!

Lance Armstrong Joins Honey Stinger Ownership Team
Seven-time Tour de France champion partners with natural foods company

April 28, 2010 (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) – Honey Stinger, the manufacturer of honey-based nutritional foods, announces a partnership with professional cyclist Lance Armstrong. In addition to future product development and endorsement of Honey Stinger energy gels, bars and organic chews, Armstrong becomes part of the ownership team in the Steamboat Springs-based company.

“I first tried Honey Stinger products during a mountain bike race in Colorado,” says Armstrong. “I was impressed with the great taste and energy they provided. Honey Stinger works for me in training and racing because you want to eat them and they work. I like the whole team – they understand what athletes need and they’re great to work with. I’m excited to be part of the Stinger team and work with them on expanding the products and business.”

Armstrong first met Len Zanni, Honey Stinger’s marketing director, when they teamed up to race the 12 Hours of Snowmass mountain bike race outside Aspen in 2008. The foundation for a new business partnership was hatched over the course of long bike rides and get-togethers with company leaders.

Bill Gamber, an athlete/ entrepreneur, teamed up with his father William, a honey industry veteran, Bob Stahl, a food product developer, and John Miller, a professional beekeeper, to found Honey Stinger in 2002. Today, the company produces over 20 honey-based energy products that are distributed internationally at specialty sporting goods retailers and natural food grocers.

“We’re thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to work with an athlete of Lance’s stature. Beyond his athletic achievements, Lance is an inspiration and a leader in the fight against cancer,” states Bill Gamber. “Our relationship with Lance comes at a time when Honey Stinger is riding a wave of momentum and this partnership is a major step for our brand.”

About Honey Stinger
Located in Steamboat Springs, Colo., Honey Stinger makes convenient, nutritious and great tasting honey-based foods including energy bars, gels and organic chews. Honey Stinger fuels some of the county’s top cyclists, runners, triathletes and teams including Tinker Juarez, Jeremiah Bishop, Katie Compton, the Giant Mountain Bike team and the Trek Livestrong U23 cycling team. The Colorado Office of Economic Development recently honored Honey Stinger as one of 50 “Colorado Companies to Watch.” Honey Stinger products are available at specialty sporting goods retailers, natural food grocers and www.honeystinger.com.

It was a big weekend for the Honey Stinger/Trek team at Blast the Mass, the 5th stop on the Mountain States Cup circuit and the home of the Colorado State Championships.

For team captain Len Zanni, Blast the Mass was the pinnacle of an already impressive season.

This year Len has been crushing the competition at pretty much every Wednesday night local race in Aspen. He currently sits in third place in the overall points series of the Mountain States Cup. He finished 17th at the National Mountain Bike XC Championships at Sol Vista last month and he won the Leadville Silver Rush 50 a couple weeks ago.

But this weekend featured what might have been one of Zanni’s biggest races yet. Len certainly had some homefield advantage at the Blast the Mass race in Snowmass this past Saturday, but he also faced some of the toughest mountain bike competition on American soil. It just so happens that part-time Aspen local and 7-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, decided he wanted to join the fray at the Snowmass race. Lance’s appearance definitely added some excitement and brouhaha to what is typically a fairly insular regional mountain bike race scene.

Lenny leading a 7-time TdF winner and the other pro men up the starting hill.

Despite the spectator donnybrook surrounding Lance, Len kept his eyes on the prize and raced his own race. Lance shot out to three minute lead over perennial Mountain States winner and full-time pro rider Jay Henry, with Len holding onto third place in a field stacked with strong regional pros. In the end Lance proved he can ride a bike off road as well as on, and won with a three-minute margin. Jay stayed in second and Len finished in third – his best Mountain States Cup finish all season.

Jay Henry, Lance and Len.

It’s not every day you get to share a podium with Lance. Not bad for a guy pushing 40 with two kids and a full-time job. Nice work Len, we’re proud of you.

In addition to Len’s bronze medal, the Honey Stinger/Trek team made quite the impression at Blast the Mass.

Enjoying his last summer before heading off to college, Aspen local phenom Bryce Gordon smoked the Cat 1 15-18 division by over five minutes and went home wearing the Colorado State Champion jersery.

Reluctant racer Ian Anderson stepped out from behind his pro racing wife’s shadow to pull off a victory and another state champ jersey in the Cat 2 30-39 division.

Ian suffering up the 2nd lap, trying to stay ahead of the ladies.

Peter Kalmes finished in 3rd place in the Cat 1 19-29.

To round out the medal count, Rose Alford finished second in the Cat 2 40+ division.

Other team member finishes at Blast the Mass included Ben Portilla (15th pro men), Nate Bird (27th pro men), Josh Cullen* (6th Cat 1 30-39).

*on his singlespeed.

Full results here.