Locker Talk

The Amgen Tour of California that blazed through town last month added more than $1.1 million to the local economy, according to the Solvang and Santa Barbara visitors’ bureaus. Economic forecasters estimate that the racers, race officials, support staff, and fans spent upward of $200,000 on lodging and some $900,000 on meals and shopping as a result of the bike race.

New Sun Nutrition announced its official sponsorship of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, formerly led by world champion Lance Armstrong. The Carpinteria-based company will supply the team with its FRS health drink, whose primary active ingredient is quercetin, a bioflavonoid found in red onions, grapes, and berries. One of the factors that persuaded the team to accept New Sun’s sponsorship was a study at Appalachian State University last year that concluded that quercetin reduced the incidence of viral illness and sustained mental performance in physically stressed test subjects.