if you want really cheap just buy a scattante frame and fork at performance for $200 throw some parts on and race and then just buy a better frame with all your winnings.

but if you can get the cannondale, do it! three of my seven bikes are cannondales, a caad 9 road, a caad 3 'cross and a headshock mtb bike. my brother has a caad 6 road and a scalpel and a hardtail w/a lefty and my dad has a 2.8 road and a mtn tandem. so we like cannondales, obviously.