I haven't talked much about the last 2 Ocups likely due to my disappointment in the outcome of both.
Ocup 5 (Buckwallow) was a fantastic venue and the weather could not have been better.
Unfortunately a new tire and rim setup let me down. I was feeling great and big ringing everything with a gap of about 2 minutes and only half a lap to go. Then I landed too hard on my front tire while trying to navigate some rocky single track. With a bang my UST rim burped my non UST tire. Previous to this setup choice I was running Maxxis Monorails non UST with a stans rim strip on non UST rims. With the tire pressure at around 28 PSI I have had nothing but success with this setup. Then I switched to Mavic UST rims, kept the same Monorails but left out the rim strips and that was my undoing for Ocup 5. I just couldn't fix the flat. My pump sucked and under the stressfull situation I waisted a Co2 cartridge. Running it out, though a respectful way to finish would have meant a low finish and not enough points to make it worth my while so I walked off the course in disappointment... a DNF (Denis Never Finished)
I wasn't a good day for another burnt helmet... Dave. He had 3 flats in total and passed me while I was trying to fix mine. Leading up to the OCup 6 weekend I was on vacation and tried to squeeze in some hard rides near the end of the week, Wednesday and Thursday, when I relieved that I hadn't done much to prepare for the next Ocup. That sort of strategy failed as I had depleted my strength and could not recover in time of Ocup 6. My legs told me the story that was about to unfold in 3 days time. There is also the matter of indulging in a few too many wobbly pops the night before the race. Either way I didn't have what takes to pode and it was clear after the first lap. Out of the gate I tried to keep the pace high but 3 of us pretty much stuck together. I rode with Alan, the new overall leader, and Daniel, the soon to be winner of the race. I was first up the ski hill climb and in to the single track first but I wasn't feeling the best. In true Deny fashion I poured it on until I had no gas in the tank. Usually that lasts me the whole race but on that day it was only about a lap worth. By the beginning of the second lap survival instincts kicked in and with Daniel taking the lead up the climb I reached my hand out to Alan for a fist bump and the words "Go get him". Then I slowed my pace down so I could finish the race in one piece. (hobble home mode) 4th place past me after the 2nd time climbing and gave me a confused look "As in what are you doing back here". I shrugged and told him there was no more gas in the tank. I crashed on the long downhill rocky section next to come. My front tire was bouncing all over the place, I endo'ed and in the process lost an ergon bar end. Now I was pissed off about that and despite losing 2 minutes and a bunch of race positions while looking for it, I came up empty handed... literally. I had to remove the loose grip and race the next 1.5 laps with no grip or bar end. Man that was challenging.
When I came through the start finish and feed zone in mid pack position I simply smiled to my friends and wife and told them "I'm having fun". I was having some fun since there was no more pressure on me. No pressure until I heard Dave Harding yell out to me from behind. Dave's group started 2 minutes after my group so for him to catch up meant I was falling back, which I knew. But I perked up a bit and rode a little harder to the finish so he wouldn't catch me. There is no easy way to live down a catch. Just ask Scott and Amy. hehe
Blame Dave, he dubbed you ‘The OCup Slayer’ and inflicted the rest of your races with bad karma.
ReplyDeleteGood luck at provincials. I’m sure you’re a lock for the “pode” with your legs back. I’ll be watching from the sidelines since I gashed my leg open in Haliburton last weekend and got 10 stitches. Yeah, bad luck all around.
I’ll bring that Ergon bar end for ya.