Canton Cup 2009

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taudep
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Canton Cup 2009

Post by taudep »

It's great to drive 30 minutes from home to a really fun race. However, it's not great to drive 30 minutes, only to suck. This despite figuring out how to have decent starts, which I did this year. Last year, I got tangled up in the crash of the 140 person Cat 4 field start. This year, I was second row, and sprinted as hard as I could up to the hill and carried good enough speed into the first twisties on the grass.

From there on, I gave up spots. One at a time. One painful one at a time. And was it only me, or were some of those barriers really tall, especially the one's on the hill? I wanted to pull out some climbing ropes, set safety, and ascend.

I'm now to wishing that cx races were only one lap, then I'd do a lot better. What's even more depressing is that despite feeling good, I finished just as poorly as my first time at this race a year ago. I'm going to write it off as punishment for forgetting my jersey and having to race in long underwear.

However, I'll look on the brightside. I didn't crash, where everyone else seemed to have a problem with it. Maybe I was riding too conservatively? The same guy in front of me crashed TWICE in the exact same spot on two contiguous laps. (Yes, he managed to get back up and pass me before going down again on the next lap.)

That sums up my race report.
I'm 20PoundSkull at cyclowhat.com.
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ddeitch
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by ddeitch »

Having spent my time since MRC-X finishing midterm projects and eating cookies, some of my friends and I decided to form our own team and keep it in the fun zone.
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No one threw turtle shells at us, which was nice.
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Rob
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by Rob »

AWESOME!
Bruce
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by Bruce »

Hey Todd, keep at it. You looked great out there.
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rusto
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by rusto »

LOVE the taped on "suspenders"!
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taudep
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by taudep »

I think more of us need mustaches. That just looks fast. Plus, it seems to work for all those cool young guys. I'm pretty sure if you put Mavic made tubular moustaches, more of us would wear them.

I know Scott Sweeny did some good crushing in our race finishing 12th out of like 5000 starters. And I swear I saw the engine Gary David putting the pain on in the 3's finishing 10-ish...? Oh, and then there was the youngster Peter Goguen in his first race with the old guys having a pretty good finish against everyone at least double his age...I'll admit, I didn't see him after the first 60 feet (not that that's much of a testimonial).

Let's here more of these epic stories as everyone prepares for North Hampton...

(Some of us need some Monday morning desk reading fodder...)
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Steve Wright
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by Steve Wright »

I showed up with the intent of racing the 3/4 race with hopes of getting a top 10. I've been racing surprisingly better and better as the season has gone on despite on training for over 6 weeks now. I lines up 2nd row and had my typical bad start (was about 20th going into the holeshot). I made my way up to 14th (according to my dad) by the time we got to the small barriers. I was feeling super good and was moving through the field and was in 10th by the time we got to the track and 8th by the time we got off the track. Through the start/finish and into the holeshot I made my way up to 6th place and was with Sebastian Dumont and we were a couple seconds behind Nate Morse and closing in. Then it all went downhill. I lost my chain on the INSIDE of my cassette and tried to ride it back on. This screwed up my rear derailler... Got off the bike, put the chain back on, got back on after a few people passed me and just as Doug Kennedy came up to me. All I heard was clicking and rubbing in the back and couldn't really shift but was hanging onto Doug and still hoping for a top 10 since I was feeling good. Then I flatted... Damn it. Sebastian and Nate ended up in the lead group of 4, whether or not I would've been there, who knows. But I am definitely confident that I have the potential to be there (As long as my lack of training doesn't catch up to me).

I decided to jump into the P/1/2/3 just to get my laps in since it was only $10 for the 2nd race. Lined up in my own row at the back, was last into the holeshot, and figured I'd probably stay there. Next thing I know Justin Spinelli (once rode the Giro) was on the deck! I was ahead of him for a whole 10 seconds!! It was friggen awesome! I began passing a few people and settled in with Scott Rosenthal who races the cat 3s with me usually. Lots of people were getting demoralized or flatting or quitting so we were slowly moving up in position. By lap 3 my legs were toast because of the few hard laps I put in the 3/4 race earlier. The bad news was that there was 4 laps to go (maybe 5?). I spent those 4 or 5 laps with the only intention of staying on Rosey's wheel because I knew if I lost it I was gonna fall way back, get passed by everyone behind me, and drop out. We actually passed a few more people as the race went on and were gaining on a few people in front of us (except for 2 guys that passed us with 1 to go). 60 Minutes of racing definitely a whole different beast than 45 minutes is. I ended up getting somewhere between 22nd and 26th, I guess I'll find out tomorrow, out of the 47 of so starters. Most of the people I beat DNF'd so the result isn't nearly as good as it might look. It was a good day of racing though and I'm glad I hung on for 60 minutes. Hopefully next weekend I'll be able to hang onto the top 15 at NoHo and maybe crack the top 10 by the end of the year in a Verge race.
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scott_sweeney
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by scott_sweeney »

I love the Canton course....
Last edited by scott_sweeney on Mon Nov 02, 2009 6:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Bruce
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by Bruce »

Scott -- We were heckling you last night while having a beer or three at JH....actually we were commenting about how well you're racing. Great job. Keep getting better.

Steve --nice spirit out there. You definitely seemed pissed at being out of the Killer B's...maybe you should get pissed more often. I'm sure you'll crack top ten by the end of the year....if you get your bike together. You need some new tires. Those things are thread bare! Don't invest another $30 in a race until you invest in some tires! If you need some tires, let me know. I gave Jim Emglish a whole bike and now he's kicking my ass.
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scott_sweeney
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by scott_sweeney »

sorry i missed the heckling, but thanks for the heads up.
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taudep
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by taudep »

I'm 20PoundSkull at cyclowhat.com.
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Doran Abel
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by Doran Abel »

Todd - thanks for the photos. They are a bit deceiving though, I almost look like I know what I am doing. Next goal is to finish in the top 50% of a race. I was close in Wrentham, not so close in Canton or Providence.
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Steve Wright
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Re: Canton Cup 2009

Post by Steve Wright »

The Goguen family is on fire lately. 17th out of 125ish is insane for a 13 year old! Congrats!
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