Management Team

LEAGUE DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER:

Sam Schultz

Sam grew up in Missoula, MT, and fell in love with mountain biking at an early age. He entered his first race in Big Sky, MT at the age of 13, and was hooked. In High School, he worked his way from racing around the state, to regional, and onto international events before jumping into the pro ranks. The highlight of his 11-year professional career was representing the US at the 2012 London Olympics. Growing up in Montana, and discovering the sport that has given him so many incredible experiences is great motivation to lead the interscholastic mountain biking movement in the state.

CO-FOUNDERS

Nate and Amy Madsen

Nate grew up in the Wasatch mountains in Salt Lake and bought his first mountain bike, a hardtail Stumpjumper with a rigid fork, in 1993. Amy’s first foray into mountain biking was at age 14 on Slick Rock in Moab, before helmets were in vogue. They met in college in a mountain biking class, and have been passionate about bikes and biking ever since. Nate is a cardiologist by day (and sometimes by night), and Amy works harder than he does corralling their four children. They are both passionate about raising active children, and helping kids in their community enjoy getting outdoors on bikes. Nate is on the board of directors of Bozeman Youth Cycling, a thriving program in Bozeman. They have been, and will continue to work closely with Sam Schultz to keep the Montana League thriving.

RACE DIRECTOR

Eric Bowman

Eric is a Bozeman native and fourth generation business owner of Owenhouse Ace Hardware and Owenhouse Cycling. Eric spends his free-time enjoying all the outdoor adventures that Bozeman has to offer with his wife Molly, and two children Rylie and Ross. Eric and Molly are ardent supporters of riding bikes and trying to open up cycling opportunities to kids of all abilities. They helped to found the Bozeman Youth Cycling program, and continue to volunteer time and resources to the Bozeman bike community. Eric has been the race director since 2019 and is committed to the growth of NICA in Montana and ensuring fun, challenging, and safe races.

REGISTRATION MANAGER

Molly Bowman

After working as a fishery biologist for almost 20 yrs, Molly left Federal life to focus fully on Bozeman Youth Cycling and the Bozeman/Gallatin NICA Team. She joined the MICL race staff the first season in 2019 and has never regretted a moment in our incredible community. When not working with all the amazing teams of coaches and families in the bike world, Molly can be found working in the winters with Bridger Ski Foundation’s Nordic Program and out and about biking, hiking and xc skiing with her family and friends. In the fall, you can find Molly in the Registration Tent during the MICL Race Season.

COURSE MARSHALS

Nick Lux

Nick went to high school in Northern California, where he fell in love with mountain biking on the trails and roads of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the sense of freedom it brought. He later stepped away from the sport for many years and relied on running to stay active, until two bad knees strongly encouraged him to return to two wheels. Rediscovering cycling in his early 40s brought back the same joy he remembered as a kid. Nick became involved with the Montana NICA League in 2021 and joined the course marshal team when his two kids began racing with the Bozeman team. In his day job, Nick is a faculty member in the Department of Education at Montana State University. When he’s not working with teachers or volunteering with the league, he enjoys racing bikes, especially long marathon events where he can rely more on grit and stubbornness than on his lack of pure cycling talent or speed. He also volunteers with local youth Nordic ski programs, helping support the vibrant youth ski community. Working with the Montana league core staff and witnessing the grit, skill, and determination NICA athletes bring to race day is the best way to spend the fall in Montana.

Dash Rodman

Dash is a longtime resident of MT and discovered early on that he loves the mountain lifestyle.  Riding bikes in the summer, hunting in the fall, and skiing in the winter keeps his equilibrium in check.  Dash is the owner of Gnarled Pine Forestry which specializes in wildfire mitigation and forest health projects throughout SW Montana.  Dash is fortunate to have a family that loves to bike. He works hard at trying to keep up with his daughters Delia & Sadie and his wife Deb.

MEDICAL TEAM

Charlie Hastings

Charlie is a pediatrician and owner of Mountain Kids Pediatrics in Missoula, and has 3 kids currently racing in the MICL.  He places a lot of value in sports and outdoor adventures as a means for kids to develop strength, resilience, and confidence.  The supportive and encouraging environment that NICA provides for this type of challenge is incredible.  Plus, bike races are his favorite events to watch!

Nate Madsen

Angie Ostrowski 

TIMING TEAM

Juniper Davis

Juniper was born and raised in Missoula, learning how to mountain bike on an early ’90s RockHopper in the Rattlesnake. She later got into bike touring while living in Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon which included one misadventure that left her stranded near Dien Bien Phu without cash or a passport. Now back in Missoula, she tries to keep up with her twin boys and husband, all dedicated mountain bike and cyclocross racers. Off the bike, Juniper works as legal counsel for the airport and enjoys trail running with friends. A fan of a good rule book, her volunteer spot under the timing tent is an ideal way to give back to NICA and the Montana league.

Mark Fricke

Mark likes riding bikes and we like having him on our timing team! 

GRIT

Christine Lux

Christine started riding bikes in kindergarten, zooming around town and flying over jumps on her pink Huffy with her brothers. In middle school, she participated in an MS Bikathon to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in honor of her grandma and somehow got lost on course. After college, she got her first mountain bike and has been climbing and cruising hills ever since while mostly avoiding jumps and not getting too lost. When she’s not out adventuring with her husband, daughter, and son – who are all part of NICA – Christine is a coach on the Bozeman Gallatin team and she leads the GRiT – Girls Riding Together – effort for our Montana league, building a spirit of support and belonging for all riders while celebrating the friendship, thrill, and community of mountain biking.

DIRECTOR OF COACHING AND PAH-KING MASTER

Doug Simpson

I started riding about 2012 and entered my first race at age 48. I did a few local races and hosted group rides at our local trails. During these group rides I realized that I was not taught to mountain bike and I was giving instructions to new riders as we rode. I took classes so I could learn how to coach and instruct riders. I am a level 2 ICP coach and a coach trainer for the Montana NICA mountain
bike  league. I am passionate about coaching and seeing new riders enjoy the sport we all love.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS

Cindy Schultz

Cindy has served as Volunteer Coordinator since the inception of the Montana League in 2019 and has worked every race thru 2025. Each race requires about 100 volunteers to keep the event running safely and smoothly. Cindy has been the master at recruiting and organizing the wide range of volunteer positions.  If you have been to a Montana race, you likely have been recruited by Cindy. Cindy has been a regular at mountain bike races for many years, from the feed zone for her boys across the USA in the 1990’s & 2000’s, to World Cups in Europe and the 2012 Olympics in London. She loves to see kids having fun on their bikes and the social aspect of our race events. 

Nicole Fairclough

Nicole has an eclectic background in Education and coaching; she currently works at FVCC in the Continuing Education office. Previously, she spent two years as a Program Coordinator for Dream Adaptive Recreation managing the Adaptive Mountain Bike Program where she taught lessons, organized and led group rides, and helped advocate for accessible trails in the valley. Nicole has coached with the Flathead Valley Composite Cutthroats since 2021. She is also on the Flathead Area Mountain Bikers (FAMB) board of directors, where she focuses her time on women’s clinics and other events. She is very passionate about getting people of all ages and abilities on bikes.

COURSE SETTER

Guy Mackenzie

Guy has pretty much always been around bikes.  He started racing when he was 9 years old.  When he was 21, he started racing mountain bikes and has been every year for the past 34 years.  When he was asked if he wanted to help with setting up courses for NICA in Montana he jumped at the opportunity, after seeing how much his son had enjoyed driving to Idaho to race NICA there with kids his own age

CHIEF OFFICIAL

Gal Alon

Gal Alon is a Bozeman-based cycling professional, bike shop owner, and longtime supporter of youth development through sport. With over two decades in the cycling industry, he combines technical expertise, race experience, and community leadership to help young riders thrive.

Through his work with Montana NICA, Gal is passionate about creating positive experiences for student-athletes, fostering resilience, and helping kids discover confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong love for riding.

CHIEF OF GETTING THINGS DONE

Sean O’Callaghan

Sean’s lifelong love of bikes began in childhood, when two wheels meant fresh air, freedom and adventure. His first job was at a bike shop and he continued working in bike and ski shops through high school and college. Sean’s passion for the outdoors carried him into several seasons working as a wildland firefighter/EMT with the Forest Service. After moving to Montana in 2002, his career pivoted to land‑use planning, with a focus on natural resources planning and open‑lands conservation. He continues to blend his passions for the outdoors, bikes, and working with youth by coaching with the Bozeman–Gallatin NICA team and serving as part of the Montana NICA core staff. His oldest son spent seven great years with NICA before aging out of the program. Sean lives in Bozeman with his wife, two sons, and dogs. He slips out the door and heads for Montana’s wild places whenever he can.

RACE TRAILER AND EQUIPMENT MANAGER

Bill Schultz

Bill has been involved with MICL management since the inception of the league. After serving as Race Operations Manager for the first three seasons, he stepped back to an assistant role of management of the race trailers and equipment. Bill has deep roots in Montana’s numerous outdoor recreation opportunities, including many mountain bike adventures and races. Having raised two sons who raced professionally, he is committed to making cycling available to more Montana kids.