Youth cycling team trains in Healdsburg, makes Mill District its home base
Correction: The team won’t regularly return for training sessions, however, they may return for further training, but no return date has yet been set. It was thought that the team was made up of 10 returning athletes and two newcomers, however, the team is made up of seven returning athletes and five newcomers.
Healdsburg will become a mecca for even more cyclists this year — an international bike team comprised of young riders under the age of 23, ages 19 to 23, recently announced that it will be moving its home training base from Colorado to Healdsburg at the Mill District.
The Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling team, which was founded in 2009 by former pro cyclist Axel Merckx, was started with the goal of giving younger riders a chance to improve their skills and build their endurance in a safe environment.
“The founder of this team is Axel Merckx, who is the son of a very famous guy Eddy Merckx, who won the Tour de France five times,”said Ralf Medloff, servicecourse manager of the team club space at the Mill District. “His son at one point when he stopped wanted to give back to the sport and started the team 11 years ago. He wanted to give these younger riders a platform to grow and develop.”
The team was working out of Colorado, however, training work became difficult during the cold winter months, so they decided to search for a training spot that had a better climate and a more central location.
“They wanted one place where they could train and have a service course,” an area where they could store their equipment, regroup and train, Medloff explained.
An area in the Mill District has carved out that space for them.
The hangout space is housed in one of the old mill buildings and has coffee, bike storage and a place to sit and relax.
“The team is focusing on racing more in Europe from this year on, there are five to six races in the U.S., but they wanted to have a location where they know they can leave everything and come back at any given time,” Medloff said.
Healdsburg is also a good place for cycling, which was another appealing factor for the team.
“Sonoma County appears uniquely positioned as a multi-faceted cycling region boasting very diverse riding,” team spokesperson Chad Childers said in a press release. “From cruising along (Highway 1) with views of the ocean, to scenic climbs, wetlands and meadows, we’ve found tons of options by which to fill our training schedule. Just as one is likely to come across great views and interesting terrain, so too is the likelihood to find a quaint town or roadside produce stand to regroup or take a quick break.”
While the team won’t be in town 24/7, they may visit the area for further training sessions, however, no dates have been set for their return.
Their most recent training session in Healdsburg, which ran from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, included 80 to 90 mile rides.
“They also had a long day where they were riding out over Westside Road and going to the coast and riding all the way over to Fort Ross and coming back over Skaggs Spring Road. They need to be prepared for all of the long races in Europe and they have to build substance and endurance,” Medloff said, noting that the pro senior rank races in Europe can be up to 150 miles long.
While the team is established as a development team, riders who are coming out of the junior ranks and are 19 to 23 years old, some have the chance to race with some established pro racers in the elite ranks.
“We are here to give them the chance to get established in the bigger races and have the opportunities to go for bigger races and improve themselves,” Medloff said, who has been involved with professional cycling for almost 10 years after transitioning from ballroom dance work.
The race season takes place from March to October. The Hagens Berman Axeon team will compete in races across the country and overseas in Europe. The team is made up of seven returning athletes and five newcomers.
