WATSONVILLE, CA - For more than 15 years, California Giant Berry Farms has sponsored cycling teams, eventually inspiring the company to put into motion the annual Tour de Fresh movement.
This year, the company announced, the team has leapt to a new level in its commitment to the sport, as well as visibility to the California Giant brand.
Comprised of young professional riders ages 19-22 years old, the team is working to ride in the Tour de France, and just completed the 100+ mile Tour of California.
Aexeon Berman, founded in 2009 by former professional cyclist and Olympic bronze medalist Axel Merckx, has teamed up with the company to represent the next generation of cyclists.
“This week I had the honor of riding shotgun in the team car with Axel Merckx during Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California,” Cindy Jewell, VP of Marketing for California Giant, said in a press release. “This stage was an epic ride from Morro Bay to Monterey, CA, via the legendary Highway 1 through Big Sur, which included 133 miles of one of the best experiences I have ever had. Getting a front seat view of over 100 professional cyclists attack Highway One and being able to witness how these young people on our team worked to accomplish greatness is awe inspiring.”
California Giant noted that it is already seeing growth in some cyclists who were on the team before it merged with Axeon, which is now leading cycling's new premier development program with a number of other notable sponsors.
The team finished the Tour of California Sunday, May 22, completing an epic stage of riding into Lake Tahoe, CA, finishing with Team Axeon in the headlines in downtown Sacramento, CA.
California native Neilson Powless earned an overall top 10 result and, at only 19 years old, was named Best Young Rider of the Amgen Tour of California.
And, as after each race and training, the team was met with a very large portion of California Giant berries, surely making them the envy of all those they competed against.
According to California Giant, the biggest story in this latest partnership is maintaining its connection to cycling and, specifically, young ambassadors building on the brand loyalty as they convey the importance healthy eating and living.
