Momentum 94.7- penalised 90 mins for starting in wrong group?

[NeoOne]

When last did you check your official time for Momentum 947? I checked on Saturday and it turns out that they penalised anyone who rode with the wrong group on the day! Wrong group? I emailed the racetec guys and got an email from the Call Centre Assistant, Janine de Vries that confirmied this.Now I have a fundamental problem with that because amongst other things:

• there were no marshalls or ushers to guide people into chutes or groups correctly
• there were no clearly marked or cordoned off chutes per group
• no-one was collecting race cards at the start
• no one was even checking for racetec chips and numbers etc
• many people just go into any group after unsuccesfully trying to navigate through a sea of riders that blocked the way to the start line
• the muddy conditions and lack of order added to the confusion and I ended up in a group and could only look at the riders numbers around me and inferred because their numbers were similar to mine assume that I am in the correct chute (also the number is large font and letter hardly legible) see pic
• there were not enough timing mats across the length of the course to cros-check times and answer all these timing queries that have since arisen

Now based on this some bureaucrat makes a decision in Racetec headquarters that I should get a 90 min penalty? Really? DO they even realise what their decsion means to our times and seeding for other races like the Argus? I have been training through Winter, putting in the hard miles so that I can start Argus earlier and benefit from a higher seeding, for you to arbitrarily reverse all my blood, sweat and tears? 

 

Anyone else have this happen to them? Please PM me and we can address it soonest.

 

 

[flyluis]

I had no issues finding my group. Just saying... 

[Skubarra]

Wrong group? Do you mean higher seeded group or lower seeded group?

 

Sure you would not be penalised for dropping down groups.

 

If you started in a higher seeded group I understand the penalty, yes things were a bit chaotic but I'm sure the vast majority of riders were able to get to their correct or lower group without any problems...

 

How is the organisers supposed to distinguish between someone who cheated vs someone who claims he got "lost".

[Tjokkits]

the rules are clear, you can drop back on groups but are not allowed to start in a stronger group than your seeding. if close to 22k people can get it right there is no excuse

[NeoOne]

As far as I was concerned I was in G group, but after querying why my Heart Rate Monitor and Strava were 3 mins faster than their time, I sent an email to Ractec and they come back and say I left with F according to the timing mats.

 

I cant dispute that after the fact and dont understand how, if I did everything I was expected with the "service" I received, I can be held wholly responsible for this cock-up!

[Brickleberry]

I was a first timer on my own starting in group FF. Was very clear and easy to find my start group and the numbers of those around you would have the exact lettering of your group so similar is not really an excuse. Has to be harsh or all 33000 people would take a chance and start at 6:30

[Rider3000]

Someone told me if you start "up" your group you should be disqualified... but you probably got worse off by that seeding, that said rules are rules ! 

[ScottCM]

Penalty only applies if you started in a higher (Better) Group as a lot of us started in later groups and weren't penalised. which i think is fair, if you want to jump the gun then you must live with the consequences, how else are they going to prevent Mr cool from starting in A batch just because he thinks he should be there?

[Skubarra]

As far as I was concerned I was in G group, but after querying why my Heart Rate Monitor and Strava were 3 mins faster than their time, I sent an email to Ractec and they come back and say I left with F according to the timing mats.

 

I cant dispute that after the fact and dont understand how, if I did everything I was expected with the "service" I received, I can be held wholly responsible for this cock-up!

 

I started in F, just about everyone around me had F's on the back of their jerseys - don't understand how you did not notice you were in the wrong group?

[TLK]

I think the groups were quite visible at the start! 

[word]

Seriously?? You are in a starting chute and you don't notice that EVERYBODY around you has an F on their back and yours is a G?

[Tubehunter]

School fees.... Make sure you are in your correct group before you start. Imagine how much organizational effort it will take if everyone needs their hand held to the start of the race?

 

Are you prepared to pay the kind of entry fees that will require?

[NeoOne]

Im not looking for sympathy, but want an indication of how many people had this happen to them. Not a pissing contest. Save the judgement.  From where I stood I checked the chronological number. The big numbers and if its near mine I reckoned i was in the right place. Nothing sinister!

[BDF]

Got to say that I had no issues either. What time did you start? I was off before 6 so I probably missed much of the mayhem you describe.

[Skubarra]

 From where I stood I checked the chronological number. The big numbers and if its near mine I reckoned i was in the right place. Nothing sinister!

 

Just a suggestion, next year look for the numbers the same as yours and not just near to yours 

[Tjokkits]

next time ask the bloke next to you to check your letter preceding the number, easy as that.  think you can be glad not to be disqualified completely