Midwest MTB Report

by Jay Richards
May 1, 2025

Greetings from the dirt! The 2025 mountain bike season is here! Many trails in central and southern locales have been open for some time, and the top trail cluster destination in Minnesota, Cuyuna, opened over Easter weekend, while trails a little further north dried up enough to open last weekend. Just about the only places still waiting to open are the far out and machine overbuilt systems that take a big longer to dry. Racing season kicks off this coming weekend as well with the first stop in the Wisconsin Off-Road Series (WORS) taking place at Englewood Farms which also serves as race #3 in the US Pro Cup.

Personally I’ve already been able to hit up all my favorite local spots in northwest MN featuring some of the more technical, classic style singletrack cross-country riding in the Midwest. The gravel scene continues to thrive and grow and provides a nice alternative to early season riding if trails close due to wet conditions. I added a gravel bike to the fleet for the first time this spring which has opened the door to even more cycling adventures.

This week's opening report includes highlights of races and events in the Midwest including Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Michigan UP, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa! Also, there are some great events in the neighboring province of Manitoba that I have enjoyed attending in the past and I hope to again make the trek north this year to return to one of those. A couple other mountain bike related highlights and links concludes this week’s opening report.

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Minnesota Dirt

The Minnesota Mountain Bike Series (MNMBS) has opened its registration for the 2025 series and kick offs in Rochester this year at the Gamehaven Scout Reservation just outside Rochester, MN, concluding at Maplelag Resort with one of the longest running mountain bike races in the Midwest, the 35th annual Laddies Loppet.

There are not many other changes in the series this season as the leadership group sticks to what has been working well. Once again, there will be no series races in the Duluth area as the local cycling group, COGGS, focuses on its own events, the Duluth Bike Festival, Split Rock Rock Splitter, and the Race Across Duluth.

The grass roots events haven’t set dates yet but one race that has become a favorite of mine is the fundraiser event for the Bemidji high school mountain bike team, usually held mid-July at Movil Maze just north of Bemidji. Also, the biggest mass-start race in the state, the Lutsen 99er, is once again set for early June. Registration is full but there is still a slight chance to get in via their waiting list.

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Wisconsin Dirt

The Wisconsin Off-Road Series (WORS) kicks off its season with a bang, hosting race #3 in the US Pro Cup in conjunction with the series races on Sunday at the Englewood Farms just north of Madison for three days of fast and intense riding featuring many of the top riders in the country, including a boatload of junior riders. The season will conclude on August 24th in Waterloo with the Red Barn Classic.

Two of the other big WI events take place in the Cable/Hayward area with the SRAM Epic Bike Fest in early June, which offers both gravel and long distance mountain bike racing, and the mighty Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival in the middle of September, which is also part of the Life Time Grand Prix.

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Michigan UP Dirt

Former Minnesotans, Kris and Kyia Anderson, are now living in the UP of Michigan and have agreed to keep tabs on happenings in their neck of the woods and share information for the upcoming season—thank you! The Andersons, along with other volunteers at the Swedetown trails, are bringing back the Great Deer Chase on August 16th. Kris provides a look into the race:

"The excitement is building for the 2025 Great Deer Chase on August 16, 2025 at the Swedetown Trails in Calumet MI. The event will feature a new adventure ride option, special age groups for youth in the 2 and 8 mile races and prizes for the best male and female finisher in the Ore to Shore Hard Rock (August 9, 2025) and 30 mile Great Deer Chase. The race is being held the same day as Pasty Fest in Calumet so there will be lots of fun things to do and eat for the entire family. From the iconic 1 lap 30 mile hand cut XC to the 2 mile kids race, the Swedetown Trails will offer up fun and exciting trail for all entrants. We have some great prizes from sponsors for the event and all money raised will go straight back to the trails!"

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Ore to Shore

The mighty Ore to Store is one of the iconic point-to-point races in Michigan and the Midwest, and this year will be the 26th running of the event!

The Copper Harbor trails also host multiple events over the summer, including Ride the Keweenaw over Memorial Day weekend and the Copper Harbor Trails Festival over Labor day weekend which are two of the more popular ones.

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And the Marji Gesick is probably one of the more challenging endurance events on the calendar. Not a lot of finishers, it's a race of attrition and takes a special rider to knock one of these out!

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North Dakota Dirt

Flatland Cycling Club has done a fantastic job growing the sport of cycling in the Fargo-Moorhead area with a dedicated trail crew maintaining and building new trail in the Fargo-Moorhead area and promoting events, including an early season gravel race series and a mid-summer mountain bike series.

The biggest single-day event would be the FM Duro which is an event that combines all of your times riding the various tracks in the FM area across one day.

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Maah Daah Hey 100

The Maah Daah Hey 100 ranks up there with the Marji Gesick as one of the most challenging single day events in the Midwest. The weather can really be a game changer here. Heat and mud can make for a really long day on some of the coolest exposed mountain bike trails in the country.

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Harmon Park, just outside Mandan is host to the Otter Creek 55 along with other distances for riders to choose from. The race forms a fun challenging loop along Harmon lake.

The Burleigh County Bicycle Cult (BCBC) also hosts a weekly mountain bike series at venues around Bismarck.

Related: The Stable Cyclist: MAAH DAAH HEY : TOGETHER | FILM

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South Dakota Dirt

One of the most popular and longest running mountain bike races in South Dakota takes place Labor Day weekend in Spearfish with the Dakota Five-O. The course is a challenging 50 mile course, with some technical sections, and consists of about 90% singletrack with 6500+ ft of climbing.

While most people think of Sturgis and their big Harley rally, there is also a mountain bike series to note, starting mid May!

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Iowa Dirt

The high school scene is also taking off in Iowa, and unlike WI and MN, Iowa holds their race series in the Spring.

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Related Roundup

New Trails UP Michigan

From singletracks.com:

"Mention Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to mountain bikers, and they immediately think of Copper Harbor or Marquette. But there’s a ski resort south of those two destinations that wants to become the area’s newest summer riding destination."

"Pine Mountain Resort has long been known as a ski and golf resort. However, it has recently added mountain biking to its list of summer activities and is hopeful that riders from both inside and outside the state will start flocking to its newly built trails."

Full story

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Mastering Momentum Podcast

From Apple Podcasts:

"What does it take to stay at the top of your sport for over four decades—and still be competitive at 70?"

"In this episode, we sit down with Ned Overend, the first-ever UCI Mountain Bike World Champion and six-time national champion, who’s still toeing the line with athletes half his age. But this isn’t just a story about biking—it’s about reinvention, smart training, and building a body and mindset that lasts."

"Ned takes us back to the early, chaotic days of mountain biking, shares what it was like to battle doping at the height of his career, and explains why he pivoted to triathlon—and found even more success. We dive into his uncoached training philosophy, his morning olive oil ritual, how he uses Strava (yes, he pays for it), and what recovery really means when you're trying to defy the typical aging curve."

"If you're an everyday athlete, a recreational rider, or just someone who’s tired of the “slow decline” narrative—this episode is a masterclass in staying curious, adapting with age, and competing on your own terms."

Apple podcast link

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Vitamin D Essential

From datasport.com:

"According to a 2023 study, 47.9% of the world's population suffers from vitamin D deficiency, with men more often affected than women. Older people and athletes, who often spend time indoors or train early in the morning or late in the evening, are also particularly at risk."

"Vitamin D is mainly absorbed by sunlight and, to a lesser extent, by food. Those living in northern latitudes (i.e. in central or northern Europe) have an increased risk of a deficiency, especially in winter, when solar radiation is limited or the sun's height is simply not enough to provide enough UVB rays for vitamin D production. In addition, intensive training can strain the immune system, which increases the susceptibility to infections. This is where vitamin D plays an important role: it not only supports bone health, but also muscle function and the immune system – essential for good performance and rapid recovery."

Full article

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As always, if you have information to share related to any mountain bike events or races, please reach out!

Keep the wheels moving!