Yeah - fields that are too small is the main excuse. We have separate 4's around here mainly because we get enough participation. I know the road races were completely combined not too long ago. Some of the women that are still on my team and still race now, started out when there was not a separate 4 field.

Now we sometimes even fill up the 4's - the field limit is 50, and a few races (especially stage races early in the year) meet the cap. The cross races usually get from 20 to 30+ in the 4's too.

Our 3's (in road and cross) are pretty rapidly growing, but race promotors are very opposed to having more fields. They don't like the idea of having to run another race during the day and they get all worked up about providing prizes - like we expect much. Socks, spare inner tubes and coffee are about what one can expect in the 4's and we don't think suddenly that will change.