From pro riders and teams to stage races and gravel events, Monster Hydro has stepped up to support the sport with innovative endurance nutrition and sponsorship.
Effective. Convenient. Tasty. And backed by a brand that is backing cycling in a major way. Monster Hydro is a new hydration drink used this season by the likes of the Arapahoe|Hincapie-BMC and Elevate-KHS pro cycling teams as well as riders Phil Gaimon, Dirty Kanza 200 winner Amity Rockwell, three-time US cyclocross champion Stephen Hyde and American race legend Rahsaan Bahati.
Packed with electrolytes, vitamins and caffeine, Monster Hydro is different than other sports drinks.
“Monster Hydro makes the perfect finish bottle in training and racing,” said Elevate-KHS rider Sam Picccoli. “The boost from the caffeine and electrolytes lets me dig deeper when the going gets tough.”
Beyond providing riders with what they need on the bike, Monster has also stepped up in a major way to provide the sport much needed sponsorship. Race fans at the Tour of Utah will benefit from Monster’s sponsorship of the queen stage. And all cyclists should note that Monster sponsored the women’s purse at the Belgian Waffle Ride – which was bigger than the men’s prize purse.
“It’s great to see a brand like Monster Hydro move into cycling in a time when everyone else seems to be leaving,” said two-time US cyclocross national champion Stephen Hyde.
Monster isn’t the first major energy drink company to get into cycling; Red Bull has of course been involved in sponsoring riders and events in the space for years. But unlike Red Bull, Monster worked with riders and other endurance athletes to create a dedicated sports hydration drink – and not just market the existing product.
Monster Energy’s national distribution makes it easy for pros and everyday riders. Unlike many speciality products that can be hard to find, Monster Hydro is available at many national convenience store chains — which is indeed convenient for riders out on long rides.
“I’m excited to have Monster Energy to come on board the Arapahoe|Hincapie-BMC team with their new product Monster Hydro as it is always a plus to have a large company enter the space with a product that can actually be used by athletes,” said team founder George Hincapie. “We’re happy to be on the ground floor with their new Hydro brand as they look to grow in the endurance space.”
Cycling celebrity Phil Gaimon is a fan.
“I like to start a ride with one bottle of Hydro and one bottle of water. It’s a good amount of caffeine that gets me going,” Gaimon said. “When you stop mid-ride, if you look at the sports drinks at a convenience store, Hydro has real sugar instead of corn syrup and purified water, which really makes it the best option in that category. It’s cool to see any major brand entering the cycling market, and Monster really got the product right.”
KHS-Elevate’s Sam Bassetti has appreciated Hydro for criteriums in particular.
“On the last day of Tulsa Tough, it was incredibly hot and humid. For the short crit I used Monster Hydro in my bottles because I knew it had everything I needed for the short, intense effort with water, electrolytes and caffeine,” Bassetti said. “Having Monster Hydro come into the cycling space is really exciting. There is a lot of passion for sport behind this brand, and we are very lucky to have a company with that passion step up and support cycling. It’s been great working with them so far and Tour of Utah will be a great opportunity for everyone to see what Monster Hydro is all about.”
