Team Jelly Belly P/B Kenda is teaming up with the non-profit organization Women of Worth (WOW) to raise funds at the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. Women of Worth is a non-profit organization based in Cedar Ridge, CA, near the start of this year’s Tour. WOW is dedicated to helping women and families escaping domestic violence and sexual assault. The organization assists these women and families in rebuilding their lives and creating their future.

Five years ago Jelly Belly rider Kiel Reijnen lost his Aunt Hetty Willams in a tragic incident of domestic violence. His two cousins Sarah Reijnen and Briana Williams are working with WOW to establish “Hetty’s Haven”, a safe home for women escaping violent environments, in honor of their mother. Jelly Belly p/b Kenda rider Reijnen is grateful for the support his sponsors will lend to help “Hetty’s Haven” get off the ground, “What the sponsors have done to get behind this is extraordinary. When I mentioned that the race was going through my Aunt’s hometown and the impact it would have for me, Jelly Belly stepped in and offered a helping hand. Now I can honestly say that when stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California starts, I will start knowing the team isn’t just there to make an impact on the race, we are there to make a positive impact on the surrounding community. What this means for me and my family is beyond measure,” said Reijnen.

Visit the Jelly Belly Booth during Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California to find out more about WOW. Make a donation and you’ll receive an autographed team water bottle as a thank you.

Brad Huff visited Rolla, Missouri this week to talk to local city officials and organizers of the 2009 Tour of Missouri. Rolla is scheduled to be the finishing city for Stage 3 for the 2009 Tour of Missouri, which begins September 7.

From left in photo: Stevie Kearse (Executive Director for the Chamber of Commerce in Rolla), Brad Huff and Rolla Mayor Bill Jenks.

Live link: http://www.versus.com/article/archive/2181/?tf=epiclist_joesilva.tpl&articleID=80230

Check out more Photos here: Flickr

Reistad began the visit by getting the kids excited with the promise of Jelly Bellys if they behaved well, then continued to talk about his profession as a cyclist. This was followed by a brief demonstration of how his GT bicycle works. Reistad showed the kids of Barrow Elementary how to properly fit a helmet on by securing the retention system and adjusting the straps to fit snuggly.

The nurses from St. Mary’s continued to teach the kids about the importance of wearing helmets while riding bicycles, four wheelers, and scooters. They described the types of head injuries and the effects of not wearing a helmet.

The students of Barrow Elementary were very well behaved and, of course, earned their Jelly Belly prizes!

ST. LOUIS, MO (April 1, 2009) — Event organizers and Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder today announced the additions of two top US-based teams to the 2009 Tour of Missouri line-up. Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team and BMC Racing Team, both returning for the third year, join the previously announced group of Garmin-Slipstream, Columbia-High Road, Liquigas, and Cervelo Test Team. The Tour of Missouri professional cycling race will take place September 7-13, 2009.

“The number of teams vying to compete in the 2009 Tour of Missouri illustrates the event’s growing reputation and enhanced level of competition,” said Chris Aronhalt, the managing partner of event organizer Medalist Sports. “Many of the sport’s top teams are looking to add the Tour of Missouri to their 2009 race calendars.”

Though a stellar world-class field was presented in 2008, the three-year-old race is expected to be even better as the Tour of Missouri was granted an upgrade to one of the top five-ranked events outside Europe by international and national federation’s for cycling last month. More teams will be announced in coming weeks and race rosters will be announced in August.

“To continue to attract some of the top teams in the world shows how important the Tour of Missouri has become,” said Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder. “This event has proven to be an economic winner for the state, in terms of drawing tens of thousands of visitors and garnering international exposure for the great state of Missouri.”

BMC Racing Team, which always seems to animate the American races, is expected to be led by Jeff Louder, who finished sixth overall last year, and was named the Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider overall in last year’s race.

“BMC is excited to come back to the Tour of Missouri. It’s one of the biggest races now on our calendar. Last year, I had a good ride there and I look to repeat that success,” said BMC’s Jeff Louder, last year’s overall Drury Hotel Most Aggressive Rider for the Tour and last week’s winner of the Tour of Redlands in California. “The Tour of Missouri has developed into a great race with a lot of top teams participating. It’s a great stage to prove yourself.”

Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team, a top domestic team celebrating its 10th anniversary in the US pro peloton, is expected to be led by Missouri native and sprinter Brad Huff, who narrowly missed winning a stage last year. In addition, event organizers also announced that Jelly Belly Candy Company will become a corporate partner of the Tour of Missouri, providing interactive displays and fan-favorite jelly beans to spectators on a daily basis.

According to Jelly Belly’s Team Director Danny Van Haute, the Tour of Missouri ranks high on the team’s 2009 calendar. “We’ve assembled the strongest squad in the team’s history and the Jelly Belly riders will be ready to take on the world’s best in September.”

“We consider the Tour of Missouri a highlight of our event season and are delighted to expand our partnership with this race,” said Stephanie Scott of Jelly Belly Candy Company. “Along with some exciting racing, we promise plenty of Jelly Belly fun for all of the great Missouri fans who come out to cheer for our riders.”

This year’s race will change course, with the start on September 7 in the heart of downtown St. Louis and the finish seven days later in Kansas City. For the first time, the race will route east to west. Additional host cities include Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Rolla, St. James, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Chillicothe and St. Joseph. The overall mileage for the course is expected to be more than 600 miles.

There will be two circuit races (St. Louis, Kansas City), one individual time trial (Sedalia), and four point to point road races (Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau; Farmington to Rolla; St. James to Jefferson City; Chillicothe to St. Joseph).

The Tour of Missouri’s premier sponsors to date are Missouri Tourism, Missouri Farm Bureau of Jefferson City, Drury Hotels and Edward Jones, both of St. Louis. For more information: www.tourofmissouri.com.