Photos: Chris Emeott
A mountain bike team powers ahead as one of the state’s premier programs.
On select evenings around Braemar Golf Course at the stretch called Braemar Park, you may encounter a group of cyclists in coordinating outfits. In fact, they may remind you of a pod of whales. And in one regard, you’re not wrong. “Groups of bikers are called pods,” says Robert Vose, alumni coach of the Edina Cycling Team. “Pods of orcas and pods of mountain bikers.”
These pods are the Edina Cycling Team, which has 125 student athletes across middle school and high school, making it the largest single-school mountain bike team in Minnesota.
Corban Kass and Liam Kirvida of the Edina Cycling Team ride the trails at Braemar Park.
The team is part of the Minnesota High School Cycling League, which started 13 years ago. The Edina team has been riding the trails for 12 seasons. Today, the program rivals some of the school district’s biggest athletic organizations in participation and community involvement. Unlike football, hockey and other traditional school sports, the Edina Cycling Team is entirely club-based and volunteer-run. “We have tons and tons of parent coaches,” Vose says. “Our team is a club team. This is not school paid for. We don’t have paid-for coaches. It’s a huge army of parents … that coach and a whole bunch of parents who are working behind the scenes on clothing, scheduling [and] team parties.”
Edina Cycling Team 2025 coaches Mike Hartmann, Erik Hinkie and Robert Vose.
That volunteer spirit is everywhere. Approximately 50 parent volunteers serve as coaches or assistant coaches on bikes during practices and races. Students are organized into groups called pods, based on experience, endurance and pace.
“We keep pod sizes reasonable. Typically, it’s about eight athletes to two coaches. That’s why you see them in those groups,” alumni coach Mike Hartmann says. “We want to keep kids together who want to ride far and fast,” Vose says.
One of the biggest turning points for the team has been the development of the mountain bike trail system at Braemar Park. The trail opened three years ago to much acclaim. “Having the trail has been a big game changer for our team,” Vose says. “I think it helps our team emphasize the more intangible skills in mountain biking that come with just spending lots of time on the trails,” says Andrew Hartmann, Mike’s son and 2025–26 season co-captain. “Drills can only take you so far. The best way to get better at mountain biking is to mountain bike.”
The Braemar trail system offers a wide variety of terrain and technical features that mirror what riders encounter in competition. From rock gardens and technical climbs to flowing curves and jump features, the trails provide an ideal training ground for athletes of all skill levels. The Hartmanns note that the benefits extend beyond official practice hours. Because league regulations limit the amount of coached practice time teams can hold, athletes often return to Braemar independently. “We see the kids out there on nonpractice days riding those trails for hours,” Mike says. “The kids get together on their own. They go down there outside of practice time, and that’s a huge benefit to their growth and the ability to stand out amongst the other teams across the state.” Vose adds that the team is proud to play a role in helping bring the trails to life. “Without reservation, the mountain bike team was instrumental in being part of that plan and ultimately getting it built,” he says.
The Edina Cycling Team captured the state championship in 2024 and 2025, and it hopes to repeat that next month. “We raced fantastically [last] season, and I’m most proud of our performance,” Andrew says. “Everybody worked super hard to achieve what we did.”
Back row: Cooper Austin, Liam Kirvida, Coleman Hinkie, Will Erlin, Bea Toftey and Addie Barmann. Front row: Patrick Vose, Andrew Hartmann, Benjamin Kinny-Robles and Ryan Sullivan.
The scoring system is one of the league’s most unique aspects. Boys and girls race separately, but all athletes contribute points toward the same overall team score. Riders compete across multiple categories, including freshman, junior varsity and varsity levels. “You could be a freshman girl and score points or a varsity boy and score points for the team,” Mike says. “It’s a really collaborative environment.”
That collaborative culture is something both coaches say sets mountain biking apart. “It softens the edges around competitiveness,” Mike says. “It’s an incredibly healthy sportsmanship environment.”
The cycling season officially begins in July, with preseason registration and team communications rolling out earlier in the summer. Throughout the season, Edina competes in four major races before the state championship event. At meets across Minnesota, hundreds of student-athletes gather to race, cheer and support one another in what coaches describe as one of the most positive environments in youth sports.
Liam Kirvida and Ryan Sullivan navigate the mountain biking trails at Braemar Park.
The team is also passionate about adding more girls to the sport. The statewide league launched a program called Girls Riding Together (GRiT), and Edina has built a strong legacy of successful female riders over the years. One of them is Mike’s daughter, Elin Hartmann, a two-time varsity champion who is now competing at the collegiate level.
“This team has taught me to always support the people around you,” Andrew says. “Mountain biking has taught me to value the experience and not just the result. The time spent with friends will always be more valuable than a race result ever will be.”
Edina Cycling Team
Instagram: @edina_cycling_team
