Registration for our 2026 season begins April 1. Practices will begin in early July, and our season runs until the end of October. Once you’ve registered in PitZone, review your emails from our team directors for other important dates for the 2026 season!

Pre-Season Events (May/June)

TBD May 2026: GRiT Try It Out Event at Blackhawk Ski Club, East Chalet.

TBD May 2026: New Madison West High School and middle school family info session. Check your email for details.

Practices (July-end of October)

West Madison NICA mountain biking is considered a fall high school sport and runs during the summer and fall, starting the first or second week of July and ending near the end of October.

  • The Madison West High School team practices Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30 – 6:30 PM, beginning July 2025.
  • Middle school groups begin on the same schedule, and the practice time shifts to 5:30-7pm once school begins. More details will be shared via email and TeamSnap.

Early season practices start in early July and are held at local schools and parks (exact locations will be emailed before practices begin) for a few weeks, until all riders have practiced the skills needed to safely ride trails. Riders must attend 3-6 skills practices before they will be allowed to ride trails with the team. We are fortunate to have two great mountain bike trail systems located off of bicycle commuter paths, so most riders are able to ride with the team to practice.

Summer and Fall Events & Festival Weekends

See the 2026 Wisconsin League schedule here.

About Race Festival Weekends

Each race festival weekend includes a pre-ride on Saturday, with racing on Sunday, and tons of fun activities throughout the weekend. Many families camp at the race venue Saturday night, and some of our race venues invite families to camp Friday night, too.

The race course opens up on Saturday afternoon for athletes to come and pre-ride, which can be done any time the course is open. We coordinate a team pre-ride, so that coaches can ride with the athletes, discuss challenging areas, and develop a race plan (where they can pass, where the slow sections vs. the fast sections are).

Sunday is race day. Athletes are grouped according to age, and each age group has “waves” of riders, to avoid crowding at the starting line. The morning starts with the high school races: Varsity, JV3, JV2, Freshmen, and High School Open. The middle school races come next, and the awards ceremony concludes the day. It’s fun to stay for a while after your race to watch other teammates ride and to celebrate with friends!

As a family-oriented team, we encourage you to participate in race festival weekends in the way that works best for your family.

Adventure Rides

Adventure rides can include scavenger hunts on bikes, exploring new trails, or even overnight camping trips to destinations further afield. The goals are to have FUN, support riders in developing confidence and new skills, and provide opportunities to experience trails in new ways. Coaches will provide details via email during the season.