Hagens Berman Axeon will roll on for another three years. Team owner Axel Merckx confirmed an extension with title sponsor Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and the addition of Jayco as a new co-title sponsor on Monday.
The deal will begin in 2024 for the US-based men’s Continental squad and run through 2026. The name of the team is not expected to change next season, continuing as Hagens Berman Axeon. Across their 15 years, the programme has had various iterations, with Hagens Berman being the longest standing sponsor, now in its seventh year.
“There is no company more committed to the future of cycling than Hagens Berman. Steve Berman has proven his commitment over the years and continues to show it with this renewed sponsorship. In addition we are very excited to welcome our new partner, Jayco, who has already historically proven its belief in cycling with their current and past sponsorships,” Merckx said in a press release.
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Launched by Merckx for the 2009 racing season as the Trek-Livestrong U23 team, the programme continues to develop youth talent in cycling and has had 45 riders graduate to the UCI WorldTour ranks. Among the recent alumni now competing in this year’s Tour de France are triple stage winner Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who is wearing the green points jersey, and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), who is wearing the mountains classification jersey.
Other alumni now at the highest level include Kevin Vermaerke (Team dsm-firmenich), Will Barta (Movistar), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) and the Team Jayco AlUla pair of USA’s Lawson Craddock and Irishman Eddie Dunbar.
“We believe in what Axel and the program are doing for the future of the sport. We believe the future lies in youth development and we will continue to put our resources towards this important program,” said Steve Berman, Hagens Berman founder and managing partner for the Seattle-based law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP.
Jayco, owned by Australian businessman Gerry Ryan, is the title sponsor of current WorldTour squad Team Jayco AlUla. Ryan said the new partnership with Axeon Cycling Team demonstrated the importance the company places on being involved in the advancement of the next generation of cyclists.
“We are thrilled to be able to share the news of our partnership with the Axeon Cycling Team,” Gerry Ryan, Jayco owner and founder explained. “The philosophy, ethics, and way the team operates is something that aligns well with our beliefs, and by coming together we can create a strong connection and pathway into the WorldTour.
“It is an inspiring three-year project, and we are proud to be able to assist Axel with the growth of this incredible and important team that he has created and developed over the years. The names of riders that we have seen come up through this team over the years – including Lawson Craddock and Eddie Dunbar, who are now riding for Team Jayco AlUla – is testament to the hard work and success that the team has had in creating the future of cycling.”
The current Hagens Berman Axeon consists of 13 riders from 10 countries. The team competes in an extensive schedule internationally, this year António Morgado of Portugal winning the GC at International Tour of Rhodes and Darren Rafferty of Ireland finishing second overall at Giro Next Gen. Added to the road squad this year was 2022 Cyclocross Junior World Champion Jan Christen, who won stage 7 and was seventh overall at Giro Next Gen.
