June 14/04 10:55 am - The Hugo Report

Posted by Editoress on 06/14/04
 

The Hugo Report

Catching up with Norco Factory rider Hugo Donais, hugodonais.com

June 13th

Got my ass kicked in BMX last weekend in Kingston, Ontario. I took some dude named Jamie Da Silva into a crash with me during the main, right before the last turn and he was so pissed I thought he was gonna throw his bike on my face, so I backed up a bit and went to say I'm sorry but he didn't want to talk but only scream like my mom did when I did something really bad as a child. I didn't know what to do really, I only wanted to make an inside pass front of him but I was going too fast for the little 20" bike that washed out and hit him, so we smashed our faces on the ground together, and then Damian Lachance rode over me and my bike, broke my rear disc. After all, I came in 6th and mister unhappy came 7th. To make sure of what I did was actually fine, I asked some racers and marshals and they all said my move was clean and proper.

Too bad for him, I tried to be the nice guy and he played the ugly duckling. Go buy some happiness somewhere homeboy?

Many Eastern top guns were racing the Championship and what can you say, Bob Rolew who races "AA" in the US got the notch, especially on the start gate where I lost the whole game. I'm so slow with the gate. Gotta work on it and I then Iwill be competitive for real. Bob won everything, both days. He's old and has a wife, that's why he's good. haaa

BMX scene is a lot different compared to MTB. People are very friendly outside the race, but take themselves too seriously when they're on the track, which I don't actually care about but I'm only doing some comparisons. What I think is weird, is when I'm done riding (after few runs or even racing) all I have to do is clean the dust and put the bike away. No mechanic, no flat tire, no derailleur hanger broken, not much clothing and equipment to wash etc... all you have to do is eat, sleep and ride.

I'm off to Mont Saint-Anne for the Quebec Cup training camp later this week, then I'll be spending the next couple weeks in Quebec city as the MSA World Cup follows the QC Cup. Should be a good time. No beer, no girl, no chocolate, only what keeps you sound in mind.

June 6th

I didn't race the downhill Quebec Cup in Chanteclerc this weekend. I smashed my head badly enough to give me headache of my ass in Friday's training, also wrecked my bike and Norco wasn't there to wrench for me so went home, took a hot bath and went to bed early. Anyways, the course looked sketchy from the top to bottom and I don't want to be complaining too much again but I was gonna race this Quebec Cup to have fun and make a few bucks off of it. But you know when feel something is wrong the only thing that can save you is going home, so that's what I did.

Here's the top ranking of Chanteclerc's bad luck list: Buddy of mine, Nicolas Tremblay got his `04 Norco Team DH stolen a couple days before the race. Luke Kitzanuk who came 5th in Tremblant broke is elbow and will possibly be out of racing for awhile. Guru Fashion Dominic Menard got ALL his bikes stolen the night before the race: 03 DH Tomac, 04 DH Devinci, 04 DS Devinci plus all his gear: such as helmets, shoes and clothes∑ what the hell is going on in this world we're living in. Hey !!!!! Another dude (I can't remember his name) broke his leg right in front of me on Friday as well, and I'm probably missing a bunch of other injuries here and there but you get my point about "going home early and running away from the problems" !! Dom's brother, Philipe Menard managed to do a clean race and walk away with the first place and my teammate L-P Leonard followed in 2nd.

I know the guys who built the course in Chanteclerd and I'm sure they've put a lot of energies, time and so on and I wouldn't swear that I could have done anything better than what they've done. I know it is NOT a easy job to design a bran new course in a mountain where they had no trails before. So thanks to Alain Lefebvre and Steve Cloutier for the free work they did.

I spent all of Saturday at my local BMX track in Crabtree to ride early in the morning and to work with the guys in the after-noon to get the track ready for Sunday's races. I raced the Provincials on Sunday and was pretty tired from Saturday's riding and work but I still managed to win every single race I entered in as well as the main. We weren't too many pros, but I was stoked to see a lot of young rippers who seem so pumped to race their bikes with desire and determination. Hope they don't give up biking at age of 16 to go work 9h-5h, five days a week in a shop to buy a stupid Honda built up with more shit than the car actually worth... I like that line!! Because we see A LOT of these ugly cars back in the East coast. People who live in the Westside don't waste their time and money on ugly material, they rather go out and climb up some beautiful mountains that Quebec doesn't have.

Crabtree BMX Provincial: Sunday June 6th

Pro Men results:

1st - Hugo Donais - Norco Factory
2nd - Patrick Dionne - Ind
3rd - Francis Hugues - Haro Bikes

Supposed to be nice out all week here in Quebec so I'm planning to go out and ride as much as possible. No matter the bike I'll use, I know it'll be fun. There's a BMX Eastern Canada Cup host in Kingston Ontario next weekend, see you out there fellas !