Stage race

Definition

Wiclax offers you the possibility (in the Expert and Pro versions) to manage events taking place over several stages. The main characteristics of managing a multi-stage event are as follows:

• Each stage has its own criteria (race type, distance, date, name, split points, etc.)

• The list of participants is generally common to all stages

• General rankings - i.e. aggregating multiple stage results - can be viewed and printed for all stages.

Wiclax distinguishes two types of stage events: events with dependent stages and events with independent stages. This option is chosen when creating your event (via the wizard) and cannot be changed later once results are entered.

Naming of the stages

By default, the term "Stage" is used in an event, but if necessary, you can specify whether it will be heats, or rounds for example. This can come from the event type selected when creating the event, or you can access it from the Event options window, in the Stages tab.

Main properties

In the first tab of the general options of the event we find a stage selector and for each of them we can enter:

• a name, for example Stage 3 - Gap-Sisteron or Semi-Final

• a date

• a distance (optional if replaced by race or lap distances)

• an acronym, useful when the rounds are not directly identifiable by their number. For example Q1H for a first men's qualifying round. This acronym appears on the screen on the stage selector in place of the number.

• whether it's a trial round

Navigation between stages

The stages of the event are represented by their numbers on the right above the main grid. The currently displayed stage appears with a blue background. The active stage is symbolized by a small green circle. The tooltip displayed when the mouse hovers over a stage gives some quick information about it, such as the number of classified competitors.

Active stage

To limit the risks of confusion, Wiclax only directly allows modification operations if the stage to which they apply is active.

To make a stage the active one, simply double-click on its number, on the right above the grid, or answer Yes when the software indicates that the displayed stage is not the active stage and offers to activate it.

Stages and races

In the event that not all races run all stages, this is specified in the race definition.

This setting is only accessible for independent stages.

General classifications

Wiclax generates general classifications in real time.

The general classification of events with dependent stages is carried out on all the event participants. The general classification of events with independent stages is carried out on all the competitors who participated in all the stages.

In the same way as for the individual general classification, there are also general classifications by teams and general classifications for the additional classifications (points, gpm, etc.)

It is possible to specify in the event options that the event does not expect a general ranking. This is the case, for example, for a tournament-type event with qualifications-...-semi-finals-final. Specifying this will prevent a general ranking from being visible when the event is published on the web.

Calculation rules

The default criterion is the sum of all stages times.

From the event options, Stages tab, you can select another criterion to apply as well as certain options including the rules to apply in the event of a tie.

The tiebreaker rules can be reordered to adapt to the rules of the event. As much as possible they are predefined according to the type of event you select when creating it. For example, for a stage cycling race they correspond to the UCI regulations.

Dependent stages

Stages are dependent when the rules of the event do not allow a competitor who has not completed the previous stage to take part in the next one.

Consequences

• When you enter a competitor, he is registered in the list of starters for all stages of the event and is marked with a crossed-out bib number () in all stages except the first.

• A red cross marking a competitor in the entry list of a stage therefore means that no result is assigned to him in the previous stage. Under the regulations, this competitor cannot take part in the current stage and no result can be assigned to him.

• When you delete a participant, he or she disappears from all stages of the event.

• You cannot delete the result of a competitor who already has a result in the next stage.

• Competitors marked with a red cross appear crossed out when printing entry lists and team lists.

Independent stages

Independent stages offer greater flexibility in managing commitments. Participants are not required to complete all stages. The overall ranking only considers competitors who have completed all stages, unless the criterion is the best time or total points.

Consequences

The competitor registration form provides a panel for specifying the scope of the operation, which is either the active stage only or all stages.

• Registering a participant If a competitor is only involved in the current stage, then he/she will only appear in the stage concerned and will not appear in the general classification. When a competitor is already entered in another stage, it is impossible to enter another competitor under the same bib number. If you enter the bib number of a competitor registered in another stage but not in the current stage, you will then be offered the following options:

  • to also register him on the active stage

  • to register him in all the other stages as well

• Removing participant registrations

  You can choose (in the entry form) to remove a competitor from the active stage only or from all stages. The results assigned to him are also deleted.

• Modifying a participant registration

  Changes to a competitor's entry data are always made in all stages where that competitor appears.

• Assignment to stages in batch

  The Assign to stages... context menu available on a line or a selection of lines allows you to assign one or more competitors to one or more stages in a single operation, without going through the entry form.

In the Participants grid you can choose to display the Stages column to see at a glance which stages the competitors are assigned to:

Prologue

Wiclax allows you to manage events with a prologue. The presence of a prologue is defined when creating the event, via the event creation wizard.

The prologue serves as a preliminary stage of the event, and is typically conducted as a time trial. The stage following the prologue is considered to be step 1.

Adding and removing stages

In the case where the event stages are independent, the ribbon displays these menus which exceptionally allow adaptation to a change of program such as for example the deletion of a round:

Stage summary report

Print - Export :: Printing shortcuts :: Stage summary

Ideal for a cycling event, the stage summary allows you to obtain all the results data for a stage on a single printout: stage ranking, general ranking, team ranking, additional rankings, penalties, order of cars for the next stage, etc.

The settings menu offers a large number of possibilities for customizing the document: adding or deleting reports, changing the order, presentation mode, etc.

Half-stages

Half-stage management is possible with Wiclax, with a few manipulations.

Reminders on the definition of half-stages: a stage can be subdivided into 2 separate sections, called half-stages and normally run on the same day. The stage ranking corresponds to the general ranking of the 2 half-stages, and it is this which is taken into account for the general ranking of the event.

Operations to be carried out to include a pair of half-stages within a classic stage race:

• Create a standard event file, in which the half-stage pair counts as a single stage.

• Create a separate event file, which will be used to manage the half-stages pair. This event will have 2 stages. In the Stages tab of the event options form choose the Half-stage option for the stages naming.

• Manage your event in the first file, until the day the half-stages take place.

• To manage half-stages, first import the list of participants for the event into the dedicated event (see importing a participant list).

• Make sure that the information for this event is as desired (categories in particular), then enter the results for each of the 2 half-stages.

• Edit the general classification of the 2 half-stages, which corresponds to the classification of the day.

• Export this general ranking to Excel (see exporting results).

• Re-import these results into the main event, for the stage you had reserved (see importing results).

Stages cancelled

It is possible to mark one or more stages of the same event as cancelled.

Cancelling a stage

A stage can be cancelled from the event options window. The "Stage cancelled" checkbox allows you to perform this operation. Important: a stage must be cancelled after the previous stage has been run (i.e., all its results have been entered) and before the next stage has been run (i.e., none of its results have been entered). A cancelled stage can only be reinstated if no results have been entered for the following stage.

Consequences of cancelling a stage

Cancelling a stage allows it to remain as part of the original race schedule, but it does not affect the various classifications. For example, the general classification after a cancelled stage (or several consecutive cancelled stages) is exactly the same as the general classification at the end of the last stage completed. Similarly, cancelled stages are not taken into account for the tiebreakers in the team or points classifications.

The list of starting competitors also remains unchanged after a cancelled stage.