Alexey Vermeulen grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan playing ice hockey and running cross country.  He started his bike racing career on the road with aspirations of
making it to the World Tour. After racing for the BMC development team and Lotto Jumbo, he made a transition from the road, believing that the sponsorship model in professional cycling was flawed and that he could make more of an impact on the dirt . As this dream has progressed, Alexey has been happy to find success not only in racing, but in community initiatives that, in his mind, provide as much promotion to a sponsor as a race win.