User:Cdw1952/Aldon

Aldon Baker” (born 1971) in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) is best known as a professional trainer of world class motorcycle racers.

Early life
Aldon was a club level motorcycle roadracer before being inducted into the South African army. He was a two time winner of the South African XC Championship for mountain biking and represented South Africa in the 1996 World Championships. He was set to compete in the 2000 Sydney Olympics when the South African Olympic Committee eliminate mountain biking from their program. His father was a top marathon runner.

Career
Baker started his career as a personal trainer at a gym in London creating fitness routines and diet regimens for his clients drawing on his mountain biking experience. In 2000 Johnny O'Mara was overseeing the training of Ricky Carmichael. O'Mara was acquainted with Baker through Oakley and suggested he might help the struggling future champion. Baker traveled to Florida to meet Carmichael and after a six-month trial took over his training for the 2000 outdoor Motocross season. Baker's success with Carmichael reshaped the landscape for riders and their physical fitness. Initially he worked with one rider at a time, transitioning from Carmichael after his retirement to James Stewart Jr. In 2014 he took on two champion contenders: Ryan Villopoto and Ken Roczen. At that time Baker was conducting the training on the property of Villopoto. When Villopoto sold the property, Baker acquired 92 acres and built the facility that came to be named "Baker's Factory". From 2000 through 2017 Baker's riders won 13 out of 17 Supercross championship titles and 12 of 18 outdoor Motocross titles. Some of the titles that weren't won were the result of his riders being out with injuries. The names of the riders trained by Aldon Baker read like a who's who of the motocross world. In addition to Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto and Ken Roczen he has trained Ryan Dungey, Marvin Musquin, Jason Anderson, Zach Osborne and Adam Cianciarulo to name a few. Beginning in 2016, Baker entered a five-year deal with factory KTM to work exclusively with riders on KTM and Husqvarna motorcycles.