Originally Posted by
TrojanHorse
it is brutally cold at the start and nice and warm at the end so you can't just slap on tons of warm clothing because you won't have anywhere to put it when you get hot.
This.
Last year it was under 40 F at the start and high 60's by noon. Unless it goes differently next year (don't see any reason why it should), aside from being able to ride for 8 hours, the most important skill is being able to ride in near freezing conditions.
At the minimum, you need two layers, three is better unless you have a dedicated thermal base layer; leg warmers, warm socks, full finger gloves, and finally a place to put that all when it all comes off 2-3 hours into the ride (longer if you start with the first light). Consider getting something like a triangle bag or a big top tube bag that can fit the clothing. I have a Jandd triangle bag ($30) and I just got a nice Specialized thermal base layer with windproofing for $32 recently on clearance - check your local stores.