Matt Slattery on the upcoming national championships and why full-on cyclocross racing is good for the body and soul in winter (Photo by Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Matt Slattery might have blazed a trail in the Munster cyclocross scene this winter but he still reckons the national championships next month will be a battle for second behind defending champion Roger Aiken.
The Killarney man, a three-time silver medallist in the national MTB championships, is one of a growing number regarded as a potential medallist in next month’s showdown.
Hut he reckons it won’t be gold he’ll be going home with.
“There is an awful big gap to them,” he said of Aiken and Robin Seymour.
“Seymour is another level altogether again. In the nationals he’ll be M40, or at least he was last year anyway. So at least I won’t be racing against him.
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“But Roger would be kind of in his league. All you can do is damage limitation when it comes to those guys; you can’t have any mechanicals or mess ups on the day.
“Everything would want to be running really well to beat either of them.”
Slattery won a string of events in his home province and travelled to the Fixx Supercross Cup in Leinster last weekend to see what he’ll be up against in four weeks.
Matt Slattery is a great competitor and would love to take a medal from next month's nationals (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
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“I haven’t been doing a lot of training - a lot less than usual but that leaves me a bit fresher coming into races,” he replied when asked why he’s been so dominant.
“I think in the off-season as well, the likes of Richie (Maes) is on the back of a really long season and a few lads are tired and aren’t aiming for the cyclocross as much.
“I had a relatively easy summer and I have the head for it at the moment.
“The nationals could be a battle for second; you still have Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles), he’s another good rider and Gareth McKee.
“And there’s a couple of mountain bike lads. Barry Kellett is another… there’s a good 10 fellas capable of being top three.”
Slattery has had a fine career off-road and has even raced the likes of Julian Absalon and Cadel Evans at World MTB Championships.
He has a real passion for the off-road scene and perhaps even more so than the road.
“There’s a great atmosphere at it. The racing is shorter; an hour at the most and you can give everything.
“It’s 100 per cent, unlike a road race where you’re slogging for four hours.
“The ‘cross is great for spectators as well; everyone can see what’s going on from one point and it’s much easier to follow.
“I think it keeps you sharp as well during the winter. It works well for guys racing in the summer.”
Speaking of the latter, however, he reckons he won’t go head-long into another road season because he hasn’t the time to commit.
“I’ll do a few early ones if I can carry on the form. I don’t think I’ll be going doing a Rás or anything though.
“Those days are probably done for me. You’d want to be getting massive miles, those 15-16 hour weeks to do it all again and I haven’t the time now.”
