Five Monticello athletes compete in Midway mountain bike race

Five Monticello students joined their teammates from the Moab Red Devils on Saturday, August 22, for their first National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) mountain bike race at Soldier Hollow in Midway.
The Monticello riders, including sophomore Emett Petersen, freshmen Teegen Olsen and Orion Sparks, and eighth graders Emett Carling and Brekk Petersen, have been practicing since June under the coaching supervision of Ben Muhlestein and Matthew Cozart.
The Monticello team currently operates as an extension of the Moab Red Devils, giving local students an opportunity to participate in Utah’s growing interscholastic mountain biking program.
The race marked the first time Monticello students have competed in NICA since Natalie and Dustin Randall led a Monticello team from 2014 to 2016. 
The Soldier Hollow race was the first Region 3 competition of the 2026 season, bringing student athletes from throughout the region together for a challenging day of mountain bike racing.
The course featured a 5.2-mile loop with approximately 640 feet of elevation gain per lap, putting riders’ endurance, climbing ability and technical skills to the test.
Monticello’s riders turned in strong performances in their first-ever NICA races. Emett Peterson led the Monticello contingent with a fourth-place finish in the JV D Boys division.
Olsen earned an impressive second-place finish in the Freshman C Boys division, while teammate Sparks finished 16th.
In the Jr Devo races, Carling placed 22nd in the Intermediate 8th Grade Boys division, and Brekk Peterson finished 24th in the Beginner 8th Grade Boys division.
NICA has become a significant part of Utah’s youth cycling community. More than 7,000 student athletes currently participate in NICA programs across the state, with 92 active teams competing statewide.
Utah is divided into six regions, with the Moab Red Devils competing in Region 3 along with Brighton, Copper Hills, Corner Canyon, Cottonwood-Hillcrest, Highland, Jordan, Juan Diego, Judge Memorial, Moab, Murray/Taylorsville, Park City, Riverton, Salt Lake City and West Granite.
NICA races are designed to provide young riders with an opportunity to compete in mountain biking while emphasizing sportsmanship, personal growth, teamwork and a positive cycling community.
Riders compete according to age and experience divisions, allowing students with a wide range of cycling backgrounds to participate.
With the 2026 season now underway, the Monticello riders will continue training and racing alongside the Moab Red Devils as they represent southeastern Utah on the NICA race circuit.