Quoted message said:I can't see how it is possible
that an MTB ride that narrows down to a trail could be anything but
way worse. Sounds like fun!
It's mitigated in a couple of ways: primarily, it never narrows down
to a trail. Beyond that, riders self-seed based on projected
finishing time with the top 100 finishers from the previous year in a
special area at the front (very similar system as used in big
marathons), there's a neutral start on closed roads until the turn
onto dirt, then a long stretch of gently climbing/rolling
doubletrack. That said, if you're strong and for some reason start at
the back (or on a singlespeed) you'll be caught up behind slower
people for much of the first climb even though it's doubletrack, which
can be frustrating. But after the first climb, it's never so
congested that it's impossible to pass, and there's no singletrack on
the course anymore (when there was, it was an undeniable cf, even with
fewer starters).