> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.time2.bike/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Mass start

> Everyone off at once — road, XC, gravel, cyclocross, criterium.

The default screen, and the one you'll use for most racing. A race gets it when
its format is mass start or anything that isn't an interval start, dual slalom,
or relay.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/time2bike/gd86sIECJkXq3-wr/images/timing/xc-finish.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=gd86sIECJkXq3-wr&q=85&s=8843e0ecb8e041540751916225797d43" alt="Standard mode" width="2478" height="1632" data-path="images/timing/xc-finish.png" />

## Running one

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the race at the top">
    The highlighted tab is where your entries go. Check it every time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Press START RACE when the gun goes">
    The label under the button confirms what's about to happen — *all 47 riders
    go on course*.

    Missed the gun? Record finishes anyway — they'll sit as "awaiting start".
    Then use **Set the start time** and type when the race actually went, and
    every time works itself out from there.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Type bibs as riders cross">
    Bib, Enter, bib, Enter — as fast as riders come in. The clock never waits
    for you.

    Can't read a number? Tap the rider in **Registered riders** instead.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Press STOP when the race is done">
    Everything is still editable afterwards.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Speed at the line

Things that matter when riders arrive three abreast:

* **The input keeps focus.** Never click before typing.
* **Match chips.** Partial numbers surface matching riders — tap instead of
  finishing the number.
* **The digit pad.** Big touch targets for gloves and rain.
* **UNDO.** One tap reverses your last entry. Use it the moment you notice,
  rather than hunting for the row.

<Tip>
  With a big field, put two people on it. Both type into the same race and the
  entries merge. If you both catch the same rider it's flagged, not silently
  discarded — you pick which time is right afterwards.
</Tip>

## Riders who don't finish

At the end, **On course** is your list of riders still unaccounted for. Work down
it and mark each one DNF or DNS before you finalize, or they'll sit in the
results with no explanation.

## Pausing

* **Freeze clock** — elapsed time stops for everyone. Use it for a real course
  hold or a red flag.
* **Pause entries** — the clock keeps running, recording is just held.

Which one you get depends on a timer-wide setting under **More actions →
Timer setup → How I am timing**. It's locked once the first entry is recorded,
so decide before you start.

## Related setups

| If your race also…              | See                                                 |
| ------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Has a mid-course timing point   | [Recording points](/timing/screen/recording-points) |
| Starts in groups                | [Waves](/timing/screen/waves)                       |
| Counts laps or has primes       | [Laps & primes](/timing/formats/laps-and-primes)    |
| Shares a chute with other races | [Combined finish](/timing/formats/combined-finish)  |
| Doesn't mass-start at all       | [Interval starts](/timing/formats/interval-starts)  |

## Next

<Card title="Corrections" icon="pen" href="/timing/screen/corrections">
  Fixing wrong bibs, missed finishes, and duplicates.
</Card>