Argus Loading Procedure

[flymango]

Is it just me or did anybody else find the loading procedure slightly chaotic?

 

I saw many cyclists getting quite anxious and even aggressive when several thousand people with bicycles were heading in conflicting directions to their loading pens.

 

I had arrived at the start 30 minutes ahead of my suggested loading time and I only just made it into my starting pen. Several riders from other groups were in our group with others climbing over the fences.

 

Obviously made no difference if you started lower down, but riders were not sure of the consequences.

 

They really need to rethink the process and capture some learnings.

[Surv0MTB]

That said, if you are seeded lower than somebody else, can you ride with that person in a later group? Would it effect your seeding for future races or does the time count, irrespective of which group you start in?

[Tomik]

I agree - was a bit chaotic with an old man taking his time to check each number. And only a few entrances made it worse.

 

They should:

• Have more entrances into the holding area before the start pens
  
• Use less fencing (i.e. only use it where needed)
  
• Close more roads at the start - too many cars/taxi's/buses around
  
• Put lights into the porta-loos!! And have more toilet paper too.
  

 

re the seeding, you can start after your group without being penalised. You will get the actual time and future seeding will be based on that time.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Tomik

[Greybeard]

Is it just me or did anybody else find the loading procedure slightly chaotic?

 

I saw many cyclists getting quite anxious and even aggressive when several thousand people with bicycles were heading in conflicting directions to their loading pens.

 

I had arrived at the start 30 minutes ahead of my suggested loading time and I only just made it into my starting pen. Several riders from other groups were in our group with others climbing over the fences.

 

Obviously made no difference if you started lower down, but riders were not sure of the consequences.

 

They really need to rethink the process and capture some learnings.

It did not seem as well structured as in past years but in saying that I found that many riders had not checked their maps for positioning of the start chutes. Many in my group were confused and asking for directions.

[jonami]

@flymango, I should imagine trying to co-ordinate 30000 cyclists can be a bit chaotic. I found this year's organisation better than that last couple of events and the marshalls very helpful.

 

I guess its a matter of communication and we are all responsible to read and understand the letters and instructions we are given in our race packs. I should also imagine most guys don't bother reading them and just try follow the rest, this is where the confusion comes in.

 

I would also suggest arriving at least an hour before to get yourself to where you want to go, half an hour is too little time especially within that crowd.

 

@Tomik - I agree.

[dev null]

I had no problem with the loading procedure. Your Lane number was printed on your start card. We arrived just over an hour before starting and were at our Lane gate about 45m before starting.

 

PS: I saw some people opening their race packs and attaching stickers as they were being offloaded by their drivers. So they probably never even read the instructions.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Moridin

[flymango]

@flymango, I should imagine trying to co-ordinate 30000 cyclists can be a bit chaotic. I found this year's organisation better than that last couple of events and the marshalls very helpful.

 

I guess its a matter of communication and we are all responsible to read and understand the letters and instructions we are given in our race packs. I should also imagine most guys don't bother reading them and just try follow the rest, this is where the confusion comes in.

 

I would also suggest arriving at least an hour before to get yourself to where you want to go, half an hour is too little time especially within that crowd.

 

@Tomik - I agree.

 

To be sure, I was 30 minutes earlier than my suggested load time - not my start time. I read all the instructions and studied the maps, but what confused me was that I had planned to approach from the mountain side only to find a fence and then duly directed to the middle entrance point which was a bottle-neck of note. Then, once they'd finally checked my chip and number, and clipped my start card, it was almost impossible to see where to approach your start pen amongst thousands of cyclists all trying to move in opposite directions in a confined fenced-in area.

[HenryS]

To be sure, I was 30 minutes earlier than my suggested load time - not my start time. I read all the instructions and studied the maps, but what confused me was that I had planned to approach from the mountain side only to find a fence and then duly directed to the middle entrance point which was a bottle-neck of note. Then, once they'd finally checked my chip and number, and clipped my start card, it was almost impossible to see where to approach your start pen amongst thousands of cyclists all trying to move in opposite directions in a confined fenced-in area.

 

Only the people who started on the mountain side could enter from that side. Same on the other side. The middle entrance was for both. This should have helped to minimise criss-crossing when going to the loading pens.

[Mr Legs]

I also found the loading procedure slower than previous years, two reasons:

 

Everybody had to enter in the middle and then go to their shutes, either right or left and there was not enough space to wait

 

and

 

Not enough entrance gates at both the first and second checkpoints

[Snytjie]

No sweat for me, in fact, it was super smooth. Entered in the middle, went straight through and into my holding pen. I don't know if my 9:44 start time made a difference.

 

I found all organizing on the day exceptional.

['Dale]

The chute officials were so rude they took my race card

[Messier87]

I agree - it was a joke. And FOUR persons holding info signs also sent me on a wild goose chase in completely incorrect directions.

 

I knew exactly where my starting pen was, but was not able to get there with all their gates and fences. The queues are ridiculous and the barriers even more so. It never happened in the past except the last two years.

 

The organizers are managing to pull of a brilliant world class event, but this one aspect they are definitely getting wrong.

[Red Zone]

My problem was that there were so many cyclists laying their bikes on the ground and sitting around, that there was not enough space left in the pen, so some people couldn't even load into the pen.

[Bonus]

Loading worked well for us. We got there 30 mins before we started, qued to get into the main area - an American young lady checked our numbers etc, and then we ambled over to our pen, number 7, and joined our batch. Was very pleasant and stress free.

 

At the 94.7 there you can struggle to get forward to your batch because its just two long ques from woodmead back to waterfall park! lol

[flymango]

Seems to be some divergent views. Maybe a function of your start time, i.e. the earlier and later groups were fine?

[Ozzie NL]

Loading worked well for us. We got there 30 mins before we started, qued to get into the main area - an American young lady checked our numbers etc, and then we ambled over to our pen, number 7, and joined our batch. Was very pleasant and stress free.

 

At the 94.7 there you can struggle to get forward to your batch because its just two long ques from woodmead back to waterfall park! lol

 

Am interested that you find 94.7 loading to be more cumbersome vs Argus. Unless you are super late and your batch is already in single lane on Woodmead Dr it is my experience for it to be easy to get into your group.

 

At Argus you must endure to have looked at the provided plan otherwise it is easy to get confused.