2025 NoCo High School Race #2

The Colorado High School Cycling League’s Platte Division, featuring Northern Colorado athletes, returned to action on Saturday, September 6, for the Showdown in the Boat in Steamboat Springs. The second race of the season drew 337 athletes to a scenic 5.5-mile course on the Emerald Mountain Trail Network. Riders navigated a mix of singletrack, doubletrack, and dirt roads with 684 feet of climbing per lap, starting near the rodeo grounds and finishing at the base of Howelsen Hill at 6,695 feet elevation.

Conditions were nearly perfect, with the exception of a few run-ins with wasps. Much of the Northern Colorado contingent camped together at the Steamboat Springs KOA, fostering a strong sense of community. While athletes compete for their individual schools, they train, warm up, relax, and support each other through the SendTown Bike Club’s Ciclismo High School Mountain Bike Program.

Local Representation and Results

A total of 47 athletes from Fort Collins, Rocky Mountain, Fossil Ridge, and Poudre high schools represented the Northern Colorado area.

Fort Collins (12 riders):

• Varsity Boys (1), Varsity Girls (1), JV Boys (2), JV Girls (1), Sophomore Boys (1), Freshman Boys (6)

Rocky Mountain (20 riders):

• Varsity Boys (3), Varsity Girls (1), JV Boys (8), JV Girls (1), Sophomore Boys (3), Sophomore Girls (1), Freshman Boys (3)

Fossil Ridge (10 riders):

• Varsity Boys (1), JV Boys (4), Freshman Boys (5)

Poudre (5 riders):

• JV Boys (1), Sophomore Boys (3), Freshman Girls (1)

The race distances varied by category: Varsity riders completed three laps (16.5 miles, ~2,052 feet of climbing), while all other categories raced two laps (11 miles, ~1,368 feet of climbing).

Top Finishes and Series Standings

Several local riders secured top-five finishes at the event. Korynne Collins from Rocky Mountain High School placed 4th in Varsity Girls, while her teammate Emmaline Jarnevich finished 1st in JV Girls. In the JV Boys race, Nils Holmes from Fossil Ridge High School took 2nd. The Freshman Boys category saw two top-five finishes: Julian Crum of Fossil Ridge in 3rd and Jackson Murray of Fort Collins in 5th. Abe Cooley from Fort Collins rounded out the top finishers with a 5th place in Varsity Boys.

These strong performances have translated into impressive series standings. Rocky Mountain High School is currently 2nd in Division 2, while Fort Collins and Fossil Ridge are 3rd and 4th, respectively, in Division 3.

Individually, several Northern Colorado athletes are ranked in the top five of their categories:

• Varsity Boys: Abe Cooley (Fort Collins) holds 4th place.
• JV Girls: Emmaline Jarnevich (Rocky Mountain) is in 1st place.
• JV Boys: Nils Holmes (Fossil Ridge) is in 3rd, and Hudson Collins (Rocky Mountain) is in 4th.
• Freshman Boys: Julian Crum (Fossil Ridge) is in 4th place.

The day saw strong rides across all categories as local athletes continue to build momentum early in the season. Coaches, families, and teammates lined the course, cheering on competitors as they climbed and descended the iconic Emerald Mountain trails.

Next up, Platte Division riders will head into the heart of the season with Race #3 in Eagle on September 21st.

• NoCo results below
• Full weekend results here
• Photo albums here
• Colorado Cycling League info here
• SendTown Bike Club info here

Confused by how all this works? Check out my high school mtb breakdown below.

How the Colorado High School Cycling League Works in Northern Colorado

The Colorado High School Cycling League provides a competitive mountain biking environment for students across the Rocky Mountains, with teams in Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Wyoming. For Northern Colorado (NoCo) athletes, the league offers a unique and supportive structure for mountain bike racing.

Platte Region and Team Divisions

NoCo’s high school mountain biking teams are part of the Platte region, a large conference that includes 18 high schools and composite metro teams from three states. There are 3 other conferences in Colorado.

Within the league, teams are organized into divisions based on size, not the school’s overall student population.

• Division 3 (D3) is for teams with 5 to 15 athletes. In Fort Collins, this includes Fort Collins High School, Poudre, and Fossil Ridge.
• Division 2 (D2) is for teams with 16 to 30 athletes, a category that includes Rocky Mountain High School.
• Division 1 (D1) is for the largest teams with over 30 riders. Currently, no NoCo school is in this division.

How NoCo Athletes Participate

Local athletes race for their high school. However, if a student is homeschooled, attends a private school, or their high school does not have a mountain bike team, they race for the high school closest to their home address. This policy allows students from other cities to join Fort Collins high school teams if their local area doesn’t have a program.

All NoCo athletes train together and are supported by SendTown Bike Club’s Ciclismo Racing program. On race day, they race for their high school, wearing their high school kit, but all hang out and support each other under the SendTown tents.  SendTown provides comprehensive support, including organizing practices, paying coaches, and managing all race-day operations. The Ciclismo Racing program has a robust network of 61athletes and 13 coaches who work to develop training plans and foster a supportive team environment.

Races and Categories

The league’s race format includes different categories for both boys and girls: varsity, junior varsity, sophomore, and freshman. This tiered system ensures fair and competitive racing for riders of all experience levels.

Throughout the season, Platte Region races are held at various locations, including Leadville, Steamboat, Frisco, and Canyon City, culminating in the State Championships in Glenwood Springs. The popularity of the league is evident in its numbers, with over 1,378 high school athletes participating in the opening weekend races alone.