Development team preparing to start season in Europe
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Brothers Ivo (left) and Rui Oliveria of Portugal are the first twins to be a part of the program in its nine-year history.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Edward Anderson (left) and the Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team started training camp days with yoga sessions by lululemon athletica ambassador Ted McDonald (right)(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
The mountains around Malibu provided a scenic backdrop to the team's daily training rides.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Californian Geoffrey Curran is both the reigning United States Under 23 national road and time trial champion.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
British Under 23 national time trial champion Chris Lawless spent quite a bit of time in the gym during training camp.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Irish Under 23 national time trial champion Eddie Dunbar weathered the inclement weather thanks to his Alé Klimatik rain gear.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Logan Owen (center) skipped cyclocross season after winning 10 national titles in order to focus on the road in his final year in the Under 23 ranks.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Neilson Powless was one of the revelations of the North American cycling scene last year, earning "best young rider" honors at the Amgen Tour of California while winning the Joe Martin Stage Race.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
American Christopher Blevins shows off a trick he is known for from his days as a mountain biker. (Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Axeon Hagens Berman General Manager Axel Merckx, the bronze medalist in the 2004 Olympic road race, still enjoys training rides – and cups of coffee – with his team.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Daily training rides through the mountains typically lasted three to six hours.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
After a raining few days to start training camp, the soggy weather gave way to sunny skies and drier rides in and around Calabasas, California.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Adrien Costa wasn't the only Axeon Hagens Berman rider who enjoyed the company of the team's unofficial mascot, Max, during training camp in Calabasas, California.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Chris Lawless of Great Britain signed with Axeon Hagens Berman after ONE Pro Cycling opted to drop its program a level, from pro continental to continental status(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Jhonatan Narvaez is Ecuador's Under 23 national time trial champion.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Adrien Costa returns for his second season after becoming the first American to win the Tour de Bretagne and finishing runner-up at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
After a short break for the off-season, the riders from Axeon Hagens Berman are back on the roads, most recently in Calabasas, California, for the team's 10-day training camp. Media obligations, sponsor presentations and daily yoga sessions mixed with rides and massages as riders and staff of the the US-registered Continental team began preparing for the team's ninth season.
General Manager Axel Merckx welcomed eight returning riders and eight new riders to the camp, which took place January 9-18. The 2016 season was one of the most successful to date for the team, which has graduated 21 riders to the WorldTour over the past nine season. Axeon Hagens Berman won a team-record 36 races last year, including eight national titles and three team classifications. All 16 riders took to the top step of the podium while contributing to a team-high 84 top-three placings overall.
Merckx told Cyclingnews the team will start its season in Europe, much like it did in 2016.
Axeon Hagens Berman 2017 roster: Edward Anderson (USA), Will Barta (USA), Christopher Blevins (USA), Jonny Brown (USA), Adrien Costa (USA), Geoffrey Curran (USA), Eddie Dunbar (IRE), Ian Garrison (USA), Chris Lawless (GBR), Jhonatan Narvaez (ECU), Ivo Oliveira (POR), Rui Oliveira (POR), Logan Owen (USA), Neilson Powless (USA), Michael Rice (AUS), Chad Young (USA)
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