1997
Trek Factory Racing Junior Team
Back in the day, First Stop Bike Shop rolled out its very first junior mountain bike team—and they made waves big enough to catch the attention of Trek. Not bad for a crew of local riders just chasing fun (and podiums)!
The original lineup? A who's-who of all-around athletes: Randy Elles, Stefan Hughes, Matt Albertazzi, Brian Albertazzi, and Danny Loman.
Fun Fact:
While none of them went pro on two wheels, they didn’t slow down one bit:
- Stefan Hughes went on to become a Junior World Ski Champion in Slalom and a 4-year NCAA standout at University of Colorado
- Danny Loman crushed it as an elite NCAA alpine skier at Bates College
- Matt Albertazzi took his skills to the pitch as an NCAA soccer player
- Brian Albertazzi went on to play NCAA Golf and win the Vermont Amateur twice
- And Randy Elles? He traded bike shorts for tennis whites—playing NJCAA tennis
Turns out the First Stop team wasn’t just building bikers—they were building all-around athletes.