From Berkeley to the Pros
Before some riders raced on cycling's biggest stages, they raced here. For generations, Berkeley's start lines have brought together local racers, developing riders, national champions, Olympians, elite teams and future professionals.
Today's junior, collegiate rider, Cat 3, development racer or young elite may be tomorrow's professional. Some of the riders below raced Berkeley years before their biggest results. Others were already professionals or Olympians when they lined up. We keep that difference clear, and we only include what the results and their records support.
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Raced here, then went further
Two years into racing when she lined up here. Turned pro in 2020, won Olympic gold in the road race and team pursuit at Paris 2024, and the U.S. road race title in 2024 and 2025.
Raced here, then went further
Turned pro in 2021, two years after racing here. Has raced for Soudal–Quick-Step and EF Education–EasyPost.
Raced here, then went further
Born in El Cerrito. Turned pro in 2016, rode the Giro d'Italia in 2019 and 2020 and the 2021 Tour de France, and came back to race Berkeley again in 2024.
Raced here, then went further
Now Ruth Edwards. Turned pro in 2014, rode the 2016 and 2020 Olympics for the United States and won the 2019 U.S. road race title.
Raced here, then went further
Raced professionally in 2012 and 2013, finishing 14th overall at the 2013 Tour of California. Now a coach in the Berkeley racing community.
Raced here, then went further
One of the Berkeley Bicycle Club's own. Raced here in 2015, then turned pro in 2016 with Inpa Bianchi in Italy.
Raced here, then went further
A Berkeley regular across nearly a decade: racing here from 2014, and by 2019 in the Pro category for Sho-Air TWENTY20. Still racing here in 2023.
A pro when they raced here
Turned pro in 2016. Raced here in 2019, then came back in 2023 with L39ION of Los Angeles. The same rider both times, by USA Cycling license number.
A pro when they raced here
Raced the men's field in May 2016, listed for her pro team. That season she won the Women's World Tour overall and rode the Olympic road race for the United States.
Already at the top level
Already racing for European teams. Three years later she rode the Rio Olympics for Brazil and finished 7th in the road race, and in 2015 won the mountains classification at the Giro d'Italia Femminile.
Their biggest results came after Berkeley.
Derek Bouchard-Hall
Turned pro in 1995. 2000 U.S. criterium champion and Olympian, later CEO of USA Cycling.
Mike Sayers
Turned pro in 1996, with Mercury and Health Net.
Chad Gerlach
Turned pro in 1995, with U.S. Postal Service and Navigators.
Christine Thorburn
Rode the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, and turned pro in 2008.
Illi Gardner · Great Britain
Turned pro in 2020. European and British hill climb champion.
Leonard Nitz
Won Olympic silver in the team pursuit in 1984.
Jon Boyer
Two years after racing here, the first American to ride the Tour de France.
Professionals, Olympians and champions when they lined up here.
Jackson Stewart
On BMC Racing Team's 2010 roster, a Professional Continental team that season.
Daniel Holloway
Turned pro in 2010, three years before racing here. Bissell, Kelly Benefit Strategies, Raleigh–GAC, Amore & Vita.
Eric Wohlberg · Canada
A professional from 1997 to 2008, Canadian time trial champion and three-time Olympian for Canada.
Nicole Freedman
A pro since 1997, and the 2000 U.S. road race champion the year before.
Katheryn Curi
A pro from 1999, and the 2005 U.S. road race champion, the same year she raced here for the second time.
Hanna Muegge
Raced professionally from 2016 to 2018, then raced here in 2019. Later raced gravel.
Roman Kilun
A professional from 2003 to 2012, with Health Net–Maxxis and Kenda–5-hour Energy, before racing here in 2018.
Wayne Stetina
Had already ridden the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.
Eric Heiden
Already a five-time Olympic speed skating champion. Went on to race for 7-Eleven, ride the 1985 Giro d'Italia and win the 1985 U.S. Pro road race title.
Olivia Dillon · Ireland
Irish national road race champion in 2010, the same year she raced here. Raced for Twenty12 and Colavita–Fine Cooking.
The next generation
Teams come through Berkeley too. The Elite Teams & Racing record follows pro, Domestic Elite and development teams year by year, and Teams That Have Raced Berkeley covers everyone else. The path below is how today's riders get to those start lines.
And some come back: as coaches, volunteers and race organizers.
From Berkeley to the Pros
Riders who were already professionals when they raced Berkeley include Tyler Williams (2019, 2023), Megan Guarnier (2016), Jackson Stewart (2010), Daniel Holloway (2013), Eric Wohlberg (2002), Nicole Freedman (2001), Katheryn Curi (2004, 2005). Others raced here before turning pro, like Kristen Faulkner (2019), Luke Lamperti (2019), Sean Bennett (2015), Ruth Winder (2013), Nate English (2008).
Olympians in Berkeley's results include Leonard Nitz (1975), Wayne Stetina (1978), Eric Heiden (1983), Derek Bouchard-Hall (1994), Eric Wohlberg (2002), Christine Thorburn (2003), Ruth Winder (2013), Flávia Oliveira (2013), Megan Guarnier (2016), Kristen Faulkner (2019). Some had already been to the Olympics when they raced here; others went later.
Riders who raced Berkeley before turning professional include Kristen Faulkner (2019), Luke Lamperti (2019), Sean Bennett (2015), Ruth Winder (2013), Nate English (2008), Bethany Allen (2015), Melanie Wong (2014, 2016, 2019, 2023), Derek Bouchard-Hall (1994), Mike Sayers (1995), Chad Gerlach (1992), Christine Thorburn (2003), Illi Gardner (2017). Kristen Faulkner, who raced the 2019 women's race, went on to win Olympic road race gold in 2024.
National champions in Berkeley's history include Eric Heiden (1983), Derek Bouchard-Hall (1994), Nicole Freedman (2001), Eric Wohlberg (2002), Katheryn Curi (2004, 2005), Olivia Dillon (2010), Ruth Winder (2013), Illi Gardner (2017), Kristen Faulkner (2019), from the United States, Canada, Ireland and Great Britain.
Professional and Domestic Elite teams including L39ION of Los Angeles, Voler Factory Racing, SpeedBlock-Terún, CycleSport.com, Team Mike's Bikes and Good Guys Racing have raced the Berkeley Hills. The full record, team by team and year by year, is on the Elite Teams & Racing page.
Elite Teams & Racing at Berkeley →