GU Energy is proud to announce that effective today, it is the exclusive nutrition sponsor of the world’s greatest female endurance cyclist, Rebecca Rusch.

Known as “The Queen of Pain,” Rusch, 43, has showcased her world-class fitness in an astonishing range of sports, winning national or world championships in sports as diverse as adventure racing, 24-hour mountain bike racing, cross-country mountain biking, cross country skiing, orienteering and rafting.

It is in mountain biking where the resident of Ketchum, Idaho has made her most lasting impression. In August, 2011, Rusch won her third straight Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race, crushing her previous year’s record time by almost 16 minutes. She is a three-time World Champion in 24-hour solo mountain biking and is also the 2010 Master’s World Champion in cross country mountain biking.

“Rebecca lives at the outermost edge of fitness and endurance,” noted GU Energy president Brian Vaughan, himself a national-class endurance athlete. “What she does demands the absolute best in nutrition, which GU provides in Roctane, Chomps, and Brew products. We’ll gain unique insight from working with Rebecca as she pushes her body and mind to the limits. Our experience with athletes like Rebecca help drive our research and product development.”

Both Rusch and Vaughan recently competed in the TransAndes bike race, in which Rusch partnered with Chris Carmichael and Vaughan teamed with Yuri Hauswald, a top California cycling advocate and endurance racer. Carmichael and Rusch won the 80+ Mixed division, while Vaughan and Hauswald placed second in the 80+ Men’s Division.

Regarding her partnership with GU Energy, Rusch said, “In my 25+ years as an athlete and 15+ years as a pro, I have experimented with pretty much every nutrition product out there. I've educated myself through trial and error and research. I've graduated from a comfort food approach during some of my early adventure racing days to a more scientific approach with GU Roctane and Recovery. The results speak for themselves, and I’m stoked to be on the GU team.”