The Alderfer Bergen and Company Cycling Team is having its best season yet.
There are 26 riders with 12 in the elite men's division, 5 in the elite women's division and nine club racers.
Isaac Neff, Winona Lake, races for Alderfer Bergen on the road team while locals Matt Light and Chad Salla both race in the elite division for mountain bikes.
Alan Alderfer, Matt Johnson, Jim Lancaster, a Winona Lake town councilman, and Troy Turley are all local club racers for the team.There are no locals from the women's elite division but they are representing the local team quite well.
"They're probably the best women's team in the Midwest," said Alan Alderfer.
The women's team formerly rode out of St. Louis, Mo. before it shut down. Alderfer moved quickly to bring them on board.
So far this season, Alderfer Bergen cycling team has competed in 10 different states including Massachusetts and Arkansas and completed 74 days of racing.
The team has compiled 13 first-place finishes this year to go with more than 100 top 10 finishes.
Light won a state championship in Fishers this year while the team placed first in the Parkview Cycling Festival's Pro 1/2 race in Fort Wayne.
Cat 1/2 races are reserved for the most premiere cyclists.
The team has grown both in riders and stature in the past couple of years.
The team started as Neff, who currently attends Indiana University, was getting better and better.
The first year the elite team consisted of three members then grew to five and eight before reaching 12 this year.
Alderfer said this year's squad measures up to other elite teams both in size and skill.
"Cycling is a team sport," said Alderfer. "You have to work together. And we have guys on this team who understand that. Our No. 1 goal is to try to win the race. The guys don't care what member wins the race as long as we win."
The season for the team will conclude at the end of August.
Before that however, the team has some races in which to compete.
That starts with this weekend's Warsaw Downtown Classic Criterium.
There is $3,750 in prize money.
The men's category 4/5 race starts at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The Men of Steel Race will begin at 1:45 p.m. and the women's will start at 2:30 p.m.
A men's 35 and older race will begin at 3:30 p.m. while the men's category 3/4 race kicks off at 4:30 p.m.
The top event, the Johnson Chiropractic Cat 1/2/3 race starts at 6 p.m. in downtown Warsaw.
The team's last major race is in Marion which Alderfer said is the biggest top tier race and has a purse of $15,000.
They will also compete in the US Criterium Championships in Downers Grove, Ill. Aug. 16.
That event is a place where amateurs can impress pros and eventually land a spot on a pro team themselves said Alderfer.
Riders are outfitted with bicycles, gear, clothing, have their entry fees into events paid as part of being on the team.
Alderfer said he hopes his team can become a developmental team to nurture future professional cyclists.
The team is also sponsored by Johnson Chiropractic, Biomet, Nelson Beverage, Trailhouse and Specialized Bicycles.
For more information on the team, visit www.abccycling.com
