[Organon]

It is that time of the year again. Another commiserations magazine, this time wrapped in paper; guess that is progress. 70,000 riders but can’t get a slot. They could easily fill 200,000 riders if it was allowed. Yet some people will say they are ‘trapped’ in their homes, even though they have 12 months notice, or 8 years notice as it has been on the Olympics course every year since. Perhaps it should be ‘reviewed’ because Barry wants to get in the Rover and pop down Waitrose for a pint of milk and crumpets.

My record:
ballot, ballot, X, ballot, X, charity, X, X.

Topic

[baggiero]

That’s a lot better than a

That’s a lot better than a random outcome given the stats…  Last year I had a team slot but joined a little way post-start for the reasons frequently given (not least that the route runs to within about a mile of home, but the start is 15+ away..) – riders were already well strung out and semi-sorted by ability (with some VERY notable exceptions!)…

[EddyBerckx]

I really, really wouldn’t

I really, really wouldn’t want it to be 200,000 riders!!!! You queue up for well in excess of an hour as it is…then have an incredible variety of cycling skills on show when you do get going. 

It’s definitly worth doing once or twice, but yeah, leaving your house at 4am to get a reaonable slot where you don’t get held up by people walking up 0.00001% inclines is a pain in the rear!

Maybe best left to people who don’t normally do these types of events or distances – which is their target market tbf

[Shades]

Never done it but was

Never done it but was speaking to someone who has and asked them whether they were doing it again.  Interestingly they’d ‘had enough’ of these sort of events; logistics hassle (different start/finish locations), night (before) in a hotel and a mega-early start, coupled with it being like a ‘wacky races’ ‘smashfest’ where you’re just making sure you stay upright.

[Author]

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