Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team

What Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team does

Hagens Berman Axeon (also operating as Hagens Berman Jayco) is a UCI Continental cycling team headquartered in Europe that fields an international roster of under-23 riders and is managed by Axel Merckx, a former professional cyclist and son of Eddy Merckx. The team functions as a development platform: it recruits young riders, provides professional-level equipment, race support, coaching, and European race exposure, and seeks to graduate athletes into higher-tier professional squads. Its competitive activities center on UCI-sanctioned U-23 events including Giro Valle d'Aosta, Giro Next Gen, Kreiz Breizh Elites, G.P. Poggiana, and Tour de l'Avenir.

The team's underlying "platform" is its equipment stack and operational infrastructure. Riders compete aboard Giant bicycles equipped with Shimano components, Cadex wheels, and Wahoo Fitness bike computers for navigation and performance tracking, with race apparel from MAAP and eyewear from Oakley. There is no proprietary software or technology product; the technical surface is a curated kit of commercially available cycling hardware provided through partnership arrangements.

Commercially, the organization is sponsorship-driven. Title naming rights are held by Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, a U.S. class action law firm, with co-naming from Jayco, an Australian recreational vehicle manufacturer, and a further equipment-partner ecosystem (Giant, Shimano, Wahoo, Cadex, MAAP, Oakley). Revenue mechanics consist of cash sponsorship fees and in-kind equipment contributions exchanged for branding on team kit, vehicles, bicycles, and digital assets, with race results acting as the principal driver of visibility and thus sponsor value. The team's competitive output includes national time trial titles won by riders Ben Wiggins and Adam Rafferty in 2026 and top-12 stage placings at Giro Valle d'Aosta and Giro Next Gen.

Name

Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team

Website

https://hbaxeon.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hagens Berman Axeon is a UCI Continental cycling team based in Europe, managed by Axel Merckx, that develops under-23 riders through professional race participation and equipment partnerships with Hagens Berman, Jayco, and other sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Cycling Team

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC)

Keywords

• Professional cycling team
• Under-23 development
• Uci continental racing
• Cycling talent pipeline
• Sports sponsorship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Team Sponsorship: Revenue is generated through sponsorship agreements with named partners including Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Jayco, Giant Bicycles, and equipment suppliers. Sponsors receive branding visibility on team kit, equipment, and race appearances.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hagens Berman Axeon is a UCI Continental professional cycling team that fields an international roster of under-23 riders in sanctioned road races across Europe. The team delivers competitive race appearances and brand visibility to its corporate sponsors (Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Jayco, Giant Bicycles, Shimano, Wahoo Fitness, Cadex, MAAP, Oakley) and provides a development pathway for young riders progressing toward higher-tier professional teams.

Product overview

Hagens Berman Axeon is a UCI Continental cycling team based in Europe, managed by Axel Merckx, with an international roster of under-23 riders. The organization does not offer a traditional product, platform, or software service. The team's primary offering is its cycling roster and competitive participation in under-23 racing events. Equipment partnerships include Giant bicycles, Shimano components, Wahoo Fitness bike computers, Cadex wheels, MAAP race kit, and Oakley glasses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UCI Continental Racing Team Operations

Quantifiable outcome

• National Champions: Ben Wiggins and Adam Rafferty each claimed national time trial titles
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Giant BicyclescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial bicycle supplier for the team. Riders use Giant bikes for all competitive racing. Giant is a major Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer.
• ShimanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial components supplier for the team. Provides bicycle drivetrain components, brakes, and other mechanical parts for team bikes.
• Wahoo FitnesssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial bike computer supplier for the team. Provides GPS bike computers for navigation, performance tracking, and training data collection.
• CadexsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial wheels supplier for the team. Provides high-performance bicycle wheels for competitive racing.
• MAAPsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial race kit supplier for the team. Provides cycling apparel and race kit for all riders for the 2026 season.
• OakleysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial eyewear supplier for the team. Provides cycling glasses and protective eyewear for riders.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Team Novo Nordisk: UCI ProTeam sponsored by Novo Nordisk, focused on racing with riders who have diabetes. Comparable as a non-cycling-endemic title sponsor leveraging a cycling team for brand visibility and a mission-driven program structure.
• Groupama-FDJ Continental Team: Development squad of Groupama-FDJ WorldTeam. Comparable as a U-23 talent development pipeline feeding into a WorldTour parent team, operating under similar Continental-tier competition framework.
• Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli: Italian UCI ProTeam with long Continental-tier history, sponsored by Drone Hopper and Androni Giocattoli. Comparable as a small-market European ProTeam with development focus and equipment partnerships.
• Tudor Pro Cycling Team: Swiss UCI ProTeam (second tier) with Continental development history, sponsored by Tudor watches. Comparable as a European-registered professional cycling team competing in similar continental-level race calendars and pursuing promotion to higher tiers.
• Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team: UCI ProTeam owned by apparel brand Q36.5, competing in European race circuits. Directly comparable as a Continental-to-ProTeam aspirational cycling program with a sponsor-driven commercial model.
• EOLO-Kometa Cycling Team: UCI ProTeam focused on young rider development. Comparable as a development-focused Continental-tier team producing riders for WorldTour progression, with sponsor support from EOLO and Alberto Contador's Kometa program.
• Israel-Premier Tech: UCI ProTeam with sponsorship from Israel national tourism and Premier Tech horticultural company. Comparable as a multi-sector sponsored team at Continental/ProTeam level with international roster.
• Lotto Dstny Development Team: Development team feeding into Lotto Dstny ProTeam. Directly comparable as a U-23 development cycling program producing talent for higher-tier teams, with similar race calendar and operational model.
• Caja Rural-Seguros RGA: Spanish UCI ProTeam sponsored by Caja Rural bank and Seguros RGA insurance. Comparable as a Continental/ProTeam tier team with banking/financial services title sponsorship competing in European race calendars.

Broad incumbents

• INEOS Grenadiers: UCI WorldTeam sponsored by INEOS chemicals. Comparable as a corporate-sponsored professional cycling team with similar sponsor-driven structure, though operating at the top tier and demonstrating the upper-bound of sponsor-funded team economics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HagBermanJayco
• Facebookfacebook.com/hagensbermanjayco
• Instagraminstagram.com/hagensbermanjayco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/axeon-cycling-team

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team