Training has begun for the Minnesota High School Cycling League season, which is in seventh year of competition.

The season begins Aug. 26 in the Austin Spam Trail competition and will end Oct. 27-28 at the state championships in Mount Kato in Mankato.

Founded in 2012, the MHSCL is a state-wide independent activity provider for student-athletes in seventh through 12th grade. The mission is to build strong bodies, strong minds and strong character through cycling, regardless of ability level.

For more information or to see the events scheduled for the fall season, go to www.minnesotamtb.org.

Last October, there were 39 high school teams competing at state at the top two levels. The Prior Lake and Burnsville mountain bike teams have competed all six years on the trails.

Last year, the Lakers had two individual state champions. Calvin Sandberg won the boys varsity race, which is a four-mile competition. In the boys junior varsity three-lap division, Thomas Beyer won the title, capping off a season where he won all six races after winning all six in 2016 as well.

Prior Lake finished fourth of the 16 programs competing in the Division I team standings last year. Stillwater is the defending state champion.

To give mountain bike riders more training this summer, the MHSCL also offered a new development program called Dirt School for grades seven through 12.

The six-session program had riders visiting trails at Salem Hills, Elm Creek, Lake Rebecca, Murphy Hanrehan and Theodore Wirth to help prepare for the season.