Mike Murray

Erik Long questioned why the Masters 40+ exists. The answer is that it
exists because race organizers put it on. Race organizers may put on a race
for any specific group that they want unless prohibited by the rules. There
are very few rules; basically only that you cannot exclude women from a
race. So if a race organizer wished to put on a race for only guys born on
Tuesdays or guys who are employed as bakers they could do that. 40+ is a
huge demographic group so many race organizers select this. It also serves
the additional benefit of decompressing the overpopulated Cat 3, 4 and 5
fields. Unfortunately it also shrinks the under populated Cat 1/2 group and
the presence of Cat 1/2 riders inhibits participation by the slower category
riders in the Masters race. Race organizer could (and to my mind should)
address this problem while simultaneously increasing total participation by
limiting Masters competition to Cat 3/4/5. Some elect to do that and some
do not. The great thing about a free market system like we have is that you
get to choose which scheme fits your preference and then vote with your
entry fees at every race. In many locations the field compositions are
fixed into a scheme that generally only a few people decided was a good idea
and most people either put up with it or don't race at all.

Mike Murray