Just 3-weeks to go before we open our race season at the new Telemark Village Mountain Bike Park! Joe Vadeboncoeur of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) shares the story of this new destination below.
Then keep reading for important info about raffle tickets, new coach training opportunities and more.
Watch your inbox next week for more information how you can get involved at all the races this season.
Keep practicing those bike skills, work hard and have fun!
Renee Griswold | League Director
#morekidsonbikes
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Mt. Telemark Village Mountain Bike Park
Story by Joe Vadeboncoeur
You may already love riding your mountain bike in the Northwoods. You may have already experienced the CAMBA trail system. You may have already participated in the Epic Bike Fest or the Chequamegon MTB festival. If you have, you’re familiar with the legacy riding system the area enjoys. But mountain biking is evolving. The bikes have changed from rigid hardtails we all rode 20 years ago, to the modern full suspension bikes of many assorted styles ridden now. Race bikes, Trail bikes, Enduro bikes, Freeride, and Downhill bikes are all legitimate styles of bikes that most bike companies make now. Trails have changed to enhance the ride experience with specific styles of bikes, creating an awesome experience for riders. The days of picking any old trail as a destination to ride your mountain bike have passed as well. Riders are selective about where to ride, and enthusiasts seek out the type of distinct trails they prefer.
For more than a decade, mountain bike riders have looked at the Telemark property and dreamed about how that property could make an incredible MTB destination. Frankly, new trails at Telemark combined with the already incredible CAMBA singletrack network, as well as the network of gravel roads in the area, would make the Cable area THE destination for off-road riding in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest.
So when the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) recently purchased the Telemark property, mountain bike trails were part of the plan from the first conversations. The planning for those trails has been happening parallel with planning to revamp the nordic ski trails and build a new base camp lodge. With that, the ABSF is proud to announce that we have contracted with Rock Solid Trail Contracting to develop a professional plan for a new mountain bike park at the Mt. Telemark Village.
Rock Solid Trail Contracting has already done a site assessment and created a mountain bike concept plan for Mt Telemark Village. Rock Solid is the largest trail builder in the USA specializing in mountain bike trail construction. As a result of a commitment to quality and reputation, they’ve been hired (and re-hired) to continually push the envelope with industry trend-setting trails and structures. If you have ridden in Bentonville, or Copper Harbor or Duluth you have probably ridden trails that Rock Solid either designed or built.
Rock Solid has a diverse group of builders who have become master craftsmen who regularly turn dirt, steel, and rock into works of art that cater to all riding styles and skill levels. If you can dream it, they can build it. As an avid mountain biker myself, who has ridden many world-class mountain bike parks and trails, I have to admit that the planning process with Rock Solid has been almost as exciting as riding the trails they build – almost!
From the start, the ABSF and Rock Solid identified 5 key goals:
1. VARIETY: Stacked loop trail system with cross-country, enduro, and downhill experiences that cater to all ages and skill levels (green, blue, black difficulty levels) and creates a more complete local trail experience on par with the best surrounding regional trail systems
2. BIKE OPTIMIZATION: Trails optimized for mountain biking with a variety of cross-country, flow, technical, jump, and downhill trails
3. CONNECTIVITY: A trail system that connects into the existing, surrounding CAMBA and ski trail network
4. PRACTICE AREAS: Bike Park practice areas where new and experienced riders can grow and hone their skills. Bike Park areas to include a Stryder track for young kids, pump track, jump zone, drop zone, and technical skills loop
5. RACE VENUES: Trail routes that would accommodate cross-country races, NICA high school races, enduro races, and position Telemark to develop a national-caliber bike festival
| 1. |
VARIETY: Stacked loop trail system with cross-country, enduro, and downhill experiences that cater to all ages and skill levels (green, blue, black difficulty levels) and creates a more complete local trail experience on par with the best surrounding regional trail systems |
| 2. |
BIKE OPTIMIZATION: Trails optimized for mountain biking with a variety of cross-country, flow, technical, jump, and downhill trails |
| 3. |
CONNECTIVITY: A trail system that connects into the existing, surrounding CAMBA and ski trail network |
| 4. |
PRACTICE AREAS: Bike Park practice areas where new and experienced riders can grow and hone their skills. Bike Park areas to include a Stryder track for young kids, pump track, jump zone, drop zone, and technical skills loop |
| 5. |
RACE VENUES: Trail routes that would accommodate cross-country races, NICA high school races, enduro races, and position Telemark to develop a national-caliber bike festival |
Upon scouting the site, it was determined there was sufficient acreage and terrain to develop both a trail system and bike park practice areas that meet all the goals of the Mt. Telemark Village Bike Park. With 300 feet of potential vertical elevation gain, there is more than enough elevation to develop a good mix of climbing and variety of descending trails. Trail systems ideally need elevation and varying topography to create a variety of trails that meet the diversity of mountain bike riding styles.
The Telemark property owned by the ABSF meets all those criteria.
The current concept plan developed for Mt. Telemark Village Bike Park consists of approx. 17 miles of new trail with a mix of 3+ miles of enduro trail, 3+ miles of downhill trail, and 9+ miles of cross-country trail. Not included in the mileage is a Stryder track, pump track, skills loop, drop/jump jump zone. The diverse set of amenities will truly put the Mt. Telemark Village MTB Park on all midwestern riders’ bucket lists.
Construction began in August of 2022 with the first 2 loops of cross-country trails being built. Mt. Telemark Village will host the season opener Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling Race in September. The course will utilize the first loops built and a combination of ski trails. With plenty of space for camping, and the MTB park continuing to evolve, the venue will be perfect for NICA races into the future. The first loops will be available for the general public after the season opener starting in the fall of 2022.
The total project has been broken into phases that will take approximately 2 years each to complete. After the 1st loops that will have been built this summer, the next parts of phase 1 will see the project expand over to the Telemark mountain and by the end of next summer you should see the first gravity-oriented trails being built. If you are passionate about Cable and mountain bike riding, we encourage you to get involved with volunteering or contributing financially to the project.
For more information, please contact Joe.vadeboncoeur@birkie.com.
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Image by Trek
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WIN THE “BIKE OF THE YEAR”!
Title sponsor Trek, has donated an AWESOME Trek Top Fuel Bike as the grand prize for the WI League Raffle!
There are dozens of other prizes too from helmets to components and tickets to MTB events around Wisconsin.
Ticket sales benefit both your team and the League by splitting your sales 50/50. Proceeds have helped teams purchase bikes to loan, communication radios and other important supplies that benefit you directly! The League has invested its share in scholarships and volunteers.
Our 2022 goal is to raise more than $100,000, which is just a few thousand dollars more than last season. Please do your part by selling and buying tickets! Two thirds of the raffle tickets have been distributed to teams and most have made it out to the team members for sales.
NEW THIS YEAR: Athletes can earn $50 by selling 50 tickets. Teams track sales and provide this information to the League at the end of the raffle and athletes will receive their reward at our season finale at Trek Trails.
Tickets that have not been distributed yet will be available at Telemark and a reminder that all tickets, sold and unsold, need to be turned in at your Nordic Mountain race (Oct 2 or Oct 9).
Drawing will be held on October 23 at the State Championship Race at Trek Trails.
Need more tickets? Have Questions? Please contact Suzy at raffle@wisconsinmtb.org
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Musicians and Vocalists Needed
The National Anthem is performed before each race wave, which means 5 renditions per race day.
While we could use recorded versions of the National Anthem, we have many talented student athletes and coaches who could perform. These performances could also be non-NICA groups from nearby schools – an ensemble from the music department, perhaps.
The anthem takes place a few minutes before the start of each category on every race day, approximately at these times:
8:50am Middle School Boys
9:50am Freshman Boys
11:00am Girls
12:20pm JVII Boys
1:35pm JVIII/Varsity Boys
If you are interested in providing a respectful, quality performance any race(s), please contact League Director, Renee Griswold at renee@wisconsinmtb.org
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The WI League is developing a new partnership with Paramount Performance!
This partnership offers student athletes and coaches priority service and discounts on movement screenings, PT and injury triage.
Paramount Performance staff will also be at our Englewood Farm race to present information on proper warm-up, recovery and cross-training for MTB athletes.
At Paramount Performance, we concentrate on elevating human lives through movement. We provide an all-encompassing experience that prioritizes connection, inclusivity and customizing everyone’s journey. Offering both physical therapy and performance training collaborating under one roof, Paramount strives to be the gold standard of movement sciences and change lives in the process.
Paramount’s headquarters are located in Green Bay, WI and we have just added our second location in Historic Downtown Sun Prairie, WI.
TEAM:
Dr. Bryan Schwebke, Owner, PT (Green Bay)
Dr. Jared Hutterer, Lead PT of Sun Prairie Clinic
Dr. Sam Schwartz, PT (Green Bay)
Joe McGlynn, Director of Performance
For more information, contact:
Dr. Jared Hutterer, PT, DPT, EMR-A
Paramount Performance PT
920.770.3303 (Clinic)
jared@paramountperformancept.com
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Nice safe pass!
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On Course Skills: PASSING
Racing is fun! Bike handling skills are “funner” for a lifetime of skilled and safe riding and racing.
One of the most challenging aspects of racing is passing. Passing a rider that you are ready to overtake in a race is exhilarating but requires good communication and timing. At our NICA races we strive to make courses that have plenty of opportunities for passing in wide and open areas but many times the opportunity arises in the singletrack part of the course. It is important to work on this skill at practices so our athletes are knowledgeable and confident about how to pass safely.
Communication
Talking to the rider that you are about to pass is necessary. Letting them know you are coming up behind them and your intention to pass helps make the encounter safer. You can announce “rider back, I’d like to pass when it is safe to do so”. Be kind, use kind words, and be patient.
There are several things for each rider, in a passing situation, to be aware of when passing:
▪ The rider being passed does not need to stop to be passed.
▪ The rider passing should only pass if they are faster than the rider they want to pass.
▪ The rider being passed should not prohibit a pass from the rider behind them if they are slower or fearful. They should find a safe place to allow the passer to go around them and indicate if the passer should pass on the left or right and move over to allow the pass.
▪ The rider passing must be patient with the rider they are passing to avoid crashes.
▪ Be aware of trees, rocks, and space that will prevent a safe pass.
▪ Both riders need to work together to pass safely.
▪ The passer NEEDs to announce the pass and can indicate that they are in a different category then the rider they intended to pass. For example if a varsity rider is passing a JV2 rider, “Varsity rider back. I need to pass you. I will pass you on your left when it is safe.” Or “JV3 rider back. Please let me know when I can get a safe pass.” The rider being passed can say, “There is a safe passing spot just ahead, I will move to the left.” Or, “I’m moving to the right so you can pass on my left.”
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The rider being passed does not need to stop to be passed. |
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The rider passing should only pass if they are faster than the rider they want to pass. |
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The rider being passed should not prohibit a pass from the rider behind them if they are slower or fearful. They should find a safe place to allow the passer to go around them and indicate if the passer should pass on the left or right and move over to allow the pass. |
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The rider passing must be patient with the rider they are passing to avoid crashes. |
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Be aware of trees, rocks, and space that will prevent a safe pass. |
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Both riders need to work together to pass safely. |
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The passer NEEDs to announce the pass and can indicate that they are in a different category then the rider they intended to pass. For example if a varsity rider is passing a JV2 rider, “Varsity rider back. I need to pass you. I will pass you on your left when it is safe.” Or “JV3 rider back. Please let me know when I can get a safe pass.” The rider being passed can say, “There is a safe passing spot just ahead, I will move to the left.” Or, “I’m moving to the right so you can pass on my left.” |
Timing
Choosing the right time to make a pass it very important.
▪ If you know that a double track is coming up, be patient and wait for the safest opportunity to make a safe pass.
▪ Time the pass so you avoid very narrow passages, trees, rocks, and hitting handlebars.
▪ If you are following in a group of fast riders attempting to pass a slower rider, that slower rider being passed does not need to move over for the entire group to pass. You, as a passer, still need to wait for a safe passing opportunity. You can announce that there are 3 riders needing a pass and continue to be patient for a safe pass.
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If you know that a double track is coming up, be patient and wait for the safest opportunity to make a safe pass. |
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Time the pass so you avoid very narrow passages, trees, rocks, and hitting handlebars. |
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If you are following in a group of fast riders attempting to pass a slower rider, that slower rider being passed does not need to move over for the entire group to pass. You, as a passer, still need to wait for a safe passing opportunity. You can announce that there are 3 riders needing a pass and continue to be patient for a safe pass. |
Remember, a good and safe pass is faster than a rushed pass that causes an accident. Accidents cause falls, injuries, and can break your bike. All of those situations can take you out of a race or slow you down more than waiting for a safe pass.
Telemark will have many safe opportunities to pass but will also have a lot of new and fresh singletrack that may not allow you to pass.
Practice safe passing with good communication at your team practices. Work on passing in single track and double track to gain confidence in your passing skills.
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New NICA-Approved First Aid/CPR Courses
These courses meet the requirements for Level 3 coaches (and Level 2).
Quick registration turn-around is due by Wednesday, August 17 at Noon.
Courses are Friday, August 19 in Pewaukee and Sunday, August 21 in Eau Claire.
REGISTER HERE
Scholarships available.
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Last round of 2022 NICA National Online Leaders’ Summits
Leaders summits are full of relevant and interesting topics related to NICA and coaching. Summit participation is needed to gain Level 3 coaching status and can be used as CEUs to maintain your current license.
Several Sessions are coming up this fall. Plan ahead to keep your license current.
September 12th – 16th | 8am
September 19th – 23rd | 2pm
October 3rd – 7th | 8pm
December 5th – 9th | 8pm
DETAILS and REGISTER HERE
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Help NICA Keep its Great Nonprofit Status
Do you have a spare 3 minutes? Please help us keep our greatnonprofits.org badge and raise our visibility on the Top-Rated Nonprofit list by writing a short review of NICA!
By letting the world hear your story and how NICA has impacted your family and community, you could inspire others to join! Your review will also be visible to potential volunteers and donors too so that we may all get #morekidsonbikes together.
To get started, follow these three easy steps to submit your review today:
Visit our Great Nonprofits Page. Click the orange “Share Your Story” button and write a brief review. You may add a photo or video if you choose. We cannot thank you enough!
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Do you shop with Amazon online?
If so, did you know that you could be supporting more kids on bikes? Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases, at no cost to you, when you shop through AmazonSmile.
To get started, sign into your Amazon account through this AmazonSmile link and start shopping! Don’t forget to bookmark the page so that whenever you make purchases through Amazon, you’ll continue to help raise funds to get #morekidsonbikes!
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The following information is NOT PART OF NICA Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League, but might be of interest to the NICA community. This is for information only and all communication should be made with the event provider.
Again, THESE ARE NOT NICA Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League programs or events, but might be fun to do on your own.
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A state-wide racing series for all ages and level of riders. Junior athletes receive discounted race fees. Click to learn more.
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Important Note: NICA is in the process of changing email news providers. Please forward this email to anyone who is new to the League, as they may not have been automatically included in this message during this time of transition. Thank you!
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