how hard is it to qualify? If you don’t you still race but iss the mass start right?
To qualify for the main race depends on the entry numbers. last year you needed to be in the top 23 of your respective qualifier to get in. The next 23 went into the next mass start race, then the next 23 into the last mass start. If you wern’t in the top 70 or so then you get to do a non mass start timed affinity race.
The first year I did it I was on the 6th row of my qualifier (20 people per line), and wasn’t overly fit, but snuck in about 20th place, so it’s not that hard – best advice is give it everything you have at the start, all the way to the lift station, then hang on – as its a lot harder for people to overtake you then.
Not doing it this year, as we’re going for a summer in Whistler instead. Last years weather put me off a bit.
Great fun though, its the best worst race you will ever do 🙂