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O-cups

848 Views 7 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Trev, Jan 10, 2010

Trev

Discussion Starter · Jan 8, 2010

I know this has to do with the eastern canada forum, but I figured since it's a race specific question, I'd chuck it on here.

I am going to be entering sport level for the O-cups this upcoming season. I'm just curious as to how competitive this level is and what people thought about this level who have done these races in the past. I am trying to get an idea of where I could potentially plce within the sport class (although I will really never know until the races are over)

I have been racing xc for 2 years, but last year was the first year that I actually did a decent amount of races and wanted to do well. I stopped the heavy weight lifitng (realized that having a stronger heart if much more beneficial then carrying dead muscle weight) I just dropped from 187lbs down to 165lbs and have been on the bike 3-4 times a week, swimming once a week and running 21.5km once a week ( in one run). I do three tri's a summer but other then that the focus is all racing.

I guessI'm just trying see how competitive the sport level is from people who have done them before.

cheers

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Circlip

· #2 · Jan 8, 2010

Trev said:
I know this has to do with the eastern canada forum, but I figured since it's a race specific question, I'd chuck it on here.

There are many more participants in the O-Cup series on the Eastern than typically inhabit this forum. Recommend reloading and post instead on the Eastern forum.

Trev said:
I am going to be entering sport level for the O-cups this upcoming season. I'm just curious as to how competitive this level is and what people thought about this level who have done these races in the past. I am trying to get an idea of where I could potentially plce within the sport class (although I will really never know until the races are over)

I have been racing xc for 2 years, but last year was the first year that I actually did a decent amount of races and wanted to do well.

Since you've already been racing for 2 years including last year, the easiest way to get a ballpark is to look at results from the races you did last year, and compare your lap times (IF the course layout was the same for both categories) and then add a bit more on to your time due to the extra distance of the Sport events. If you were not racing any events last year that broke down into Beginner and Sport categories, then cross reference some of the results from your events with the O-Cup results available on the OCA web site, and find a few names in common between the two instead.

The top end of Sport class races is usually very quick, as these are the riders who are likely moving through soon to upgrade to Expert anyhow.

Sometimes these estimates don't quite play out as well as expected on race day, but for a shot in the dark this is the best method.

Good luck!

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HSCoach2

· #3 · Jan 8, 2010

Trev said:
I know this has to do with the eastern canada forum, but I figured since it's a race specific question, I'd chuck it on here.

I am going to be entering sport level for the O-cups this upcoming season. I'm just curious as to how competitive this level is and what people thought about this level who have done these races in the past. I am trying to get an idea of where I could potentially plce within the sport class (although I will really never know until the races are over)

I have been racing xc for 2 years, but last year was the first year that I actually did a decent amount of races and wanted to do well. I stopped the heavy weight lifitng (realized that having a stronger heart if much more beneficial then carrying dead muscle weight) I just dropped from 187lbs down to 165lbs and have been on the bike 3-4 times a week, swimming once a week and running 21.5km once a week ( in one run). I do three tri's a summer but other then that the focus is all racing.

I guessI'm just trying see how competitive the sport level is from people who have done them before.

cheers

If you have been racing here in Ontario for two years, you have probably already raced against many of your Sport class competitors either at a weekly series, 8 or 24 hour events, or Citizen's races (Paul's Dirty Enduro, Substanceprojects marathons, Lake to Lake, Squeezer, Paris-Ancaster, etc.). You could do what some of us do and look up the results of your closest competitors in these races, see how they did at O-CUPs, and then subtract several minutes for reasons such as "I could have gone faster if I'd wanted to", "I'll have a better bike by then", "My training has improved", or "I'd be more motivated at an O-CUP", and then declare yourself the winner!

Seriously, I consider myself to be a pretty serious and fast racer, but have not yet won a Sport O-CUP. The competition IS very good, especially since every year you will have at least a couple of racers at every age level that are clearly on their way to expert (in fact, they are already fast enough, they just have earned the points yet). I'm hoping to do more O-CUPs this year than in the past (I have never done the three required to upgrade), knowing that to do well, I'd not only have to beat guys who are consistently near the top year after year, but also someone like you (and others), who hasn't raced an O-CUP yet, but who may already be an experienced and fast racer.

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Trev

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 8, 2010

thanks for the help guys,

Yah I'll try cross referencing some of the other races I have done to see how I compared with some other sport racers. The first year I raced I only did about 3 races and pretty much got hooked and then last year I did about 5 ( counting a race series as one race) and I realized that to actually place I had to drop the weight lifting and get more cycling specific. The main thinkg I lag now is the endurance, Once i pass the 30k mark I start to have a really slow recovery from climbs, I'm not expecting anyting extrodinary when I race sport next year, I just wanted to see how competitive the field was. I'm a young guy still (just turned 20) and I got alot more time to work on the endurance and other things.

Thanks again for the replies!

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HSCoach2

· #5 · Jan 8, 2010

Trev said:
thanks for the help guys,

Yah I'll try cross referencing some of the other races I have done to see how I compared with some other sport racers. The first year I raced I only did about 3 races and pretty much got hooked and then last year I did about 5 ( counting a race series as one race)!

Which races did you do?

Trev said:
and I realized that to actually place I had to drop the weight lifting and get more cycling specific. The main thinkg I lag now is the endurance, Once i pass the 30k mark I start to have a really slow recovery from climbs, I'm not expecting anyting extrodinary when I race sport next year, I just wanted to see how competitive the field was.

It'll be competitive! Your category especially will be full of soon to be experts (but hey, maybe you're one of them)

Trev said:
I'm a young guy still (just turned 20) and I got alot more time to work on the endurance and other things.

Thanks again for the replies!

No problem. You're definitely not in my age group, so best of luck!

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Trev

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 9, 2010

Last year I did the squeezer, winter wow, hardwood hills 50k (dnf due to drivetrain completely shot when I was using a loaer bike), I did the kelso race series and placed 2nd which was also due to me making it out to all of them not so much of me actually wining any of them (came roughly 10-13th in most races 2-3 mins behind the winners) also have done the paris to ancaster which was 2 years ago, aswell as hot august nights 24hr, the team I was with was doing it more for fun.

A guy I race with who has not dropped in his performance used to absolutely kill me on the training rides, but now since I lost the 16 or 20lbs and been training like crazy I can actually keep up with him, hes not breathing as hard as I am but he at least hasn't dropped me yet this winter, so my fitness is definetely improving but I still got along way to go.

I got a new race rig for this upcoming year so instead of riding a 26.3lb trail bike, Im not riding a 21lb 29er hardtail, which should help a bit.

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HSCoach2

· #7 · Jan 9, 2010

Trev said:
Last year I did the squeezer, winter wow, hardwood hills 50k (dnf due to drivetrain completely shot when I was using a loaer bike), I did the kelso race series and placed 2nd which was also due to me making it out to all of them not so much of me actually wining any of them (came roughly 10-13th in most races 2-3 mins behind the winners) also have done the paris to ancaster which was 2 years ago, aswell as hot august nights 24hr, the team I was with was doing it more for fun.

A guy I race with who has not dropped in his performance used to absolutely kill me on the training rides, but now since I lost the 16 or 20lbs and been training like crazy I can actually keep up with him, hes not breathing as hard as I am but he at least hasn't dropped me yet this winter, so my fitness is definetely improving but I still got along way to go.

I got a new race rig for this upcoming year so instead of riding a 26.3lb trail bike, Im not riding a 21lb 29er hardtail, which should help a bit.

The Squeezer is a great race. Quite different from O-CUPS, but you'll definitely find some names to compare yourself to in those results. To give you an idea, I can just barely get into the top 40 at that race, about 15 minutes behind the top guys. That translates to competitive at Sport O-CUPs, but no wins. I think your Sport category might be a little quicker, as I noted before, there will be more future Experts "just passing through".

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Trev

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 10, 2010

Thanks, for the info

I guess we'll find out when the seaosn starts!

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