High School Cycling League Challenge 2 Winners Announced–these Kids Can More Than Ride, They are Super Creative!

By Bill Plock

There is nothing virtual about the Colorado High School Cycling League’s fall challenges. Yes, normally hundreds of high school cyclists gather for some killer mountain bike races in places like Buena Vista or Snowmass, but this year, is, well—2020. 

Teams from Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming, including over 1,800 student athletes are participating in diverse and fun challenges that mirror what was to be the racing season. In this week’s challenge, teams went out to accumulate the most miles over a week and teams competed for the highest average of miles per rider. In this video all the winners from the four conference are announced along with videos from the other challenge challenges!

This league is about way more than kids racing mountain bikes. It’s about inspiring kids to be their best selves. About camaraderie, team building and instilling confidence and maybe attracting kids who don’t thrive on traditional high school sports. And with a bike, many of these kids are able to be their most creative selves even if they aren’t the fastest or more skilled. 

Because of that underlying mission, Kate Rau and Jon Hutchinson and others have created opportunities for all kids to participate and this year it is amazing how many have done so. The league is proud of local partners like Toyota, Alpine Bank, Primal, Delta Dental, Optic Nerve. Honey Stinger and Yeti to name a few. 

In this video you will see some serious creativity. For example, Carsten Erlander from Cheyenne Mountain looks to have a movie making career ahead with his Tattoo contest vide! The artwork for the logo contest is top notch and the skills demonstrated in the Yeti skills contest in all kinds of settings, like back yards, are inspiring. All of those videos can be seen in this video towards the end. 

Stay tuned for more challenges this fall and check out how momentum is building for this program despite not being able to gather like normal. See how these high school students and team are building for the future. When these teams line up again hopefully soon, the energy will be amazing! 

This is from league Director Kate Rau,

The community connections, camaraderie, and personal growth that evolve through high school mountain biking are infinite and deep-rooted. A recent note from Bern Krueger is a testament to this fact. He was a consistent course marshal for many years when his son Caleb rode with the Vail Valley Composite team from 2010-2012. A recent fall ride brought a flood of happy, healthy memories of the years the Kruegers participated.

I was riding my bike in this beautiful fall weather wearing the jersey you gave me and I fondly remembered marshaling races while supporting my son,… Nothing better to be doing in the fall, besides archery hunting. Fond memories for sure. Thanks for all you continue to do.–Bern Krueger

This season is certainly different yet the mission of positive youth development from the saddle of a mountain bike continues to be accomplished. This is evident in the active participation of more than 1,800 student-athletes from 74 teams. Whether designing a logo, working on trails, honing skills, racking up miles, or making a new friend youth are relishing the ride. The stellar leadership of coaches is off the chain. The tremendous support from sponsors and dedicated volunteers, such as the Rules Committee and Board of Directors is critical to this harvest of positive impact.

Upcoming Ride ChallengesRiders who are “Practice-Ready” by Monday, 8:00 AM of the challenge week are eligible to participate in all upcoming challenges. You only need to register once for the season. Challenge #1 Sensational Short Course results are HERE. Challenge #2 Massive Mileage Team results are HERE.▪  Challenge #3: “Let’s Go Places” – Team Mountain Goat Madness: September 28th – October 4th▪  Challenge #4: “Let’s Go Places” – Sensational Short Course 2.0: October 12th – 18th: Individuals ranked by category for team scoring by division within Region.▪  Challenge #5: “Let’s Go Places” – Hill Climb Time Trial: September 28th – October 18th: Individuals ranked within geographic pods.