(Helena, Montana) – The Montana league of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association hosted their 4th race on Saturday, September 28th at Butte, Montana. The race is officially known as the Copper Kings Clash and is the 4th race of the Montana season. The race is at the Big Butte Space Trailhead, just West of the Montana Tech campus. The race is about 3.5 miles per lap and 380 feet of climbing and is by far the slipperiest race of the season. 

MONTANA LEAGUE RACE SCHEDULE 

The Montana league has 12 teams and 5 races with their info being: 

2024 Race schedule 

1. Crosscut Classic, (Bridger Bowl, Bozeman)
2. Crosscut Short Course Double Header (Bridger Bowl, Bozeman)
3. Herron Hussle (Herron Park, Kalispell)
4. Copper Kings Clash, (Big Butte Open Space, Butte)
5. Lolo Final Landing (Rossignol Ranch, Lolo)

RACER IMPUT 

“It was very dusty and slippery” said Banks Sauder, a member of the Helena Cyclones who raced in the 7th/8th comp league. “I didn’t feel too well, I wish I didn’t get hit in the start chute” Banks also mentioned he had a Parfet for breakfast and placed 27th. 

“I felt pretty good, I placed 2nd by 1.5 seconds” said Helena Cyclones member Aaron Trost, who’s also in the 7th/8th comp. “My favorite part was climbing past everyone and least favorite was the washed-out corners”. Aaron had a very bright look on if he had to do another lap, saying that “he would die” before getting distracted by his bike and leaving. 

Ryder Lenaburg, a 7th grader in the 7th/8th comp member of the Missoula Mammoths, said that he was “pretty strong on the first lap, but bonked on the second”. He had a hotel breakfast of 2 bagels and eggs in the morning and an all-you-can-eat buffet the night before. Ryder left off with a note saying to “check your bike before a race and make sure your back rotor isn’t loose”.

WHAT IS NICA? 

NICA is a student program for mountain biking formed in 2009 by Matt Fritzinger. According to the NICA website itself “we help get kids on bikes, we are outside going places, we are stoking a life-long passion for biking” (nationalmbt.org). The league spans throughout 33 leagues in different states with the newest being the Golden State South Leage in California. NICA has given over twenty-six thousand students mountain bike adventures every year throughout the country.