Bike Wanaka president Oliver Young said the track was also very dry and sandy, and it would have been quite slippery in the corners.
He said the course for the solo or team 10-hour, 10km-lap race was ''slightly different'' this year from previous years, and for the first time they had introduced a single-speed category for those who felt 10 hours was too easy and a five-hour solo category for those who thought it was too hard.
The race is Bike Wanaka's major fundraiser for the year and all the money made goes to help build and maintain trails in the area, such as the Deans Bank track.
Mr Young said it was a ''real fun event'' and one of the first big events of the season.
''It is end of skis, skis are in their locker now, so it's out with the bikes, have some fun and that's really the start of summer, here we go.''
-By Kerrie Waterworth
