Kenda Cup round 1

My first kenda cup race by Chuy. ​

The day before the race , I had to admit i was nervous been my first kenda cup race.  My first race of the year was at the same place temecula but it was the socal endurance. i was really dissapointed getting 9th place overall. i got sick 2 days before the race (but i still went to race). During the race i was doing good, but after 2:30 hours my body didnt respond at all, so i just decided to keep racing at a low pace to finish the race! This time was different. I wasnt sick and had been training good....

Ken and I were texting all week long checking the weather.  Woke up on sunday first thing i did check the weather to see how it was going to be for the race! I load all my stuff as i started driving, it started raining really bad non stop ...all the way to Temecula. the course was in good condition, rain didnt affect too much!

At the start line, I wish good luck to my team mates then turn on my race mode and clear my mind!! Race start, i decide to start hard and try to open a gap to avoid all kinds of traffic on the course...i position 4th place in the first single track. i kept my pace.  Minutes later ken and Pascal got me, so i decided to go with them and work as a team! Descending/technical course began, they left me behind easy (I'm not good descending but i will get better).  They opened a gap, so i decided to push hard on one of the fire roads and small climbs.  Finally at the end or the first lap i catch them. i decided to keep my pace to open a better gap.  Pascal got my wheel on the start of the second lap, then we started descending so i decided to let him pass me to avoid losing time on his lap.  Same thing happen and I had to push hard to catch him.  finally i catch him at the end of the second lap!! At the start of the 3rd lap, i decided to let him go and do my own race at my own pace...so I did my 3rd ,4th, 5th and the last lap by myself, didnt get a wheel or someone to work with in the race! My last lap was hard/funny because the CAT 2 XC started when i was doing my last lap, so a couple of racer passed me ...it was all right for me, but when more racer started to passing me, wasnt really nice, so i decided to race them even though it was my last lap and their first lap i didnt care! I start passing the guys that passed me.  There were 3 guys that got my wheel and we were battling all lap long until i dropped them on the last climbing section.  i push hard because I knew that was the only part of the course that i will open a gap....and it was. I ended my race with a sprint! Finished  at 6th place overall and first on my 30-39 category. I was really happy on my first Kenda Cup race.  Honestly, i wasn't planning getting podiums this year because i didnt know if i will adapt fast racing here at USA, but i think i had been training good! I'll keep training hard to become better.  I'm glad that I'm racing for UC Cyclery/JW Floors. Great rides and great people! Thanks Ken for the invite to the team! 


Chuy. 

PS. I missed the podium, they gave me the wrong time....i will have to race and get another first place to have a pic with my opponents 😅.!! 

UCC/JW Floors team results on the day:


Endurance MTB:
30-39 Men: Chuy 1st place
40-49 Men: Pascal 1st place
50-59 Men: Ken 1st place, Deron D 3rd place 
60-69 Men: Bob Wilcox 2nd place

Cross Country MTB:
50-55 Cat 1 Men: Greg Twitty 5th, Steve Boyd 7th
60-65 Cat 1 Men: Randy Liechty 1st