The Hagens Berman Axeon riders show off their 2022 colours(Image credit: Hagens Berman Axeon)
Leo Hayter (Hagens Berman Axeon) (Image credit: Hagens Berman Axeon)
Matthew Riccitello (Hagens Berman Axeon)(Image credit: Hagens Berman Axeon)
Hagens Berman Axeon have opted for bright colours in 2022(Image credit: Hagens Berman Axeon)
The Hagens Berman Axeon team have revealed their new bike and racing kit, with BMC replacing Pinarello and the blue and white of recent years replaced by a stand out black to pink vertical fade.
Italian brand Ale’ supply the new Hagens Berman Axeon jersey, with the Ale’ and BMC logo on the shoulders.
The US-based Continental team, owned by Axel Merckx, has long been a trusted development for talented riders who go onto race for leading WorldTour teams.
The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the team's racing opportunities but the team plans a full season of racing in 2022 and is currently training in Tuscany before a planned season debut March 2 at UMAG Trophy in Croatia.
The 13-rider roster for 2022 includes under-23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège winner and British under-23 national time trial champion Leo Hayter, who was a late signing for the new season. There are six other signings including 21-year-old Briton Toby Perry and a quintet of talented teenagers: Darren Rafferty, Jack Drage, Dries de Pooter, Iván Romeo and Kasper Andersen.
Returning riders include Britain’s Joe Laverick, Diego Barbosa of Portugal, Liam Holowesko of the Bahamas and Americans Michael Garrison, Samuel Janisch, Simon Jones and Matthew Riccitello.
Andersen was the 2020 junior European road race champion, Garrison is the current US under-23 national time trial champion, while De Pooter was the 2020 Junior Belgian national road race champion and already has a contract in place with the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux WorldTour team for 2023.
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BMC also sponsors the AG2R Citroën men’s WorldTour team who use Campagnolo components. The Hagens Berman Axeon will use the BMC Teammachine SLR01 and Timemachine Road 01, equipped with SRAM groupsets, Zipp wheels, Pirelli tyres and Selle Italia saddles.
“I am very excited to work with BMC,” said team owner and director Axel Merckx.
“Their ambition for the long term aligns with our team ambition. BMC has long invested in the future of the sport and I am excited to align our team with their legendary brand.”
Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
