While evaluating the 2009 Iceman Cometh Challenge results, we discovered that approximately 25% of Iceman riders have been "riding-up" an ability level compared to where they really should have been racing. Whether it has been due to simply wanting to arrive at Timber Ridge Resort earlier in the day (and leave more time for the Ice Hole Beer Tent), a desire to test themselves against faster riders, or avoid the traffic in some of the larger waves, a solid portion of riders have opted to choose an ability level that is one step above where they realistically belong. The end result of such a choice is that 25% of the riders fall off the pace of their wave and are then swept up by racers in latter waves creating increased traffic for everybody.
    We also heard from many of you about the traffic congestion at the top of the Wall during the Sport waves. Traffic on your commute home is one thing, but having to wait 5 to 8 minutes in the middle of the woods is unheard of! Our new concepts for improving the 2010 Iceman address the course traffic issue.
    In order to maintain a safe, competitive, fair, and fun Iceman atmosphere for everybody, we've decided to make some major changes to the 2010 race categories and wave starts for everybody except the MYC Scholarship class for Junior women & men as well as Pro women & men. 
    The 2010 race categories will no longer be based on ability and age. They will be based solely on age. (The 2010 age classes are listed to the left of this article).
    Additionally, the 2010 waves will be based on your 2009 time. The exact time criteria for each wave has not been determined yet. We will be assigning wave placement once all of the edits and changes to the participant database have been completed at the end of October. Thus, we will have the ability to ensure that each wave has a consistent number of athletes.
    For example, the first wave after the MYC Scholarship Juniors may have a qualifying time criteria of 1:40:00 to 1:49:59. The second wave may have a time frame of 1:50:00 to 1:55:59. And so on down the line. Thus, within each wave, there will be riders of different age classes. Women, Tandems, Clydesdales, and Singlespeeds will also start within their corresponding time criteria waves. (The drawback to this system is that you probably will not start with 100% of the riders in your age class. The plus is that each wave will have racers of similar abilities).
    New Iceman riders without a previous time will start towards the end of the waves.