The Wiggo Effect on MTBs

More people riding on the roads (me included) because of the weather.
Most of the MTB races I’ve done this year have been wet, some of them have been crap as a result.

That leads to the late entry syndrome you mentioned. It’s certainly going to be my strategy next year. 2013 is all about the plan B.

If people like Pat Adams hold their events at venues that fall to bits when they get wet, they’re on borrowed time. Courses that can’t cope with water just aren’t appropriate for the UK conditions.

Interestingly, UK24 have moved from the weather-proof course up in Newcastleton to a country estate in Berkshire for next year. Presumably enough people have whined about the journey to Scotland to get to the National Champs so they’ve relocated. It’s a gamble though, cos as a result I’ll only enter that race the week before it happens, depending on the weather outlook. If it’s bad, I’ll be doing something less soul-destroying instead. I won’t be the only one adopting this strategy. If it was at another trail centre though, I wouldn’t hesitate to enter.

It’s up to organisers to do their bit to ensure the future of their events, rather than this ‘support UK racing’ mantra that’s forced down the necks of punters. Banking on nice weather by holding a massive race at a non-weather proof course is gambling with the future of the event.

In essence this year has been exceptionally wet and it doesn’t really take a genius to work out why more people have been staying away or riding on tarmac.

Ironically, after nearly 15 years of being purely a roadie I’ve (re)discovered mountain biking this year and the road bikes have barely been touched. I guess I’m just counter-cyclical, or perverse, or just terminally uncool. Probably all three.

Cheers,

Andy

MTB racing needs some work and isn’t helped by the fact that there are more MTB riders that are less race orientated.
Cyclo cross and road/crit races are generally organised by clubs who use their members as marshals/helpers etc and can keep costs down.
In the West Mids there has been lots of local road races and the cyclo cross events which are virtually weekly and pulling in 300-400 riders across the categories. Entry fees are £12 max including chip timing
By contrast the MTB races are almost exclusively organised by a 3rd party and start to attract higher costs as a result. We saw some change in the Midlands this year with the Mids MTB Series being a joint effort between the coordinator and local shops/clubs. Seemed to work very well and numbers were up also

As for entry fees – the average MTB race/Sportive costs £30 – £50 and you get a couple of water/feed stops plus a waymarked course (sometimes poorly way marked!).

By comparison, the Tour of Flanders Sportive costs £25 to enter, has incredible signposting, marshalls at every junction & roundabout over the entire 160 mile length of the course, Police and organiser motorcycle marshals/outriders and the most incredible food stops you can imagine – well stocked, plentiful, almost no queueing, friendly staff, etc etc.

Well the Hell of the West CX sportive the other weekend was twenty nicker, well-signed and marshalled, and I’m gonna stick my neck out and say it was harder than the RVV too. There are still plenty of good events happening in the UK.