Jeff Louder exits Hagens Berman Axeon to nurture new gravel race in Utah

Hagens Berman Axeon team directors Axel Merckx (left) and Jeff Louder (right)
Hagens Berman Axeon team directors Axel Merckx (left) and Jeff Louder (right) (Image credit: Hagens Berman Axeon)

After five years as a team director with Hagens Berman Axeon, Jeff Louder bows out of a role to develop young riders to focus on a new role as race director for The Wasatch All-Road gravel race.

The US-based continental squad had been in existence since 2009, spending two seasons at Professional Continental (now ProTeam) level before moving back down in 2020. While team owner Axel Merckx provided an abundance of racing opportunities in Europe, Louder was in place to guide the development squad on its domestic programme. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic shriveling the road racing calendar to only a handful of UCI one-day or stage races in the past two seasons, Louder decided it was time for change.

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Jackie Tyson
North American Production editor

Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).