Mátra Maraton // Race report

Finally! I managed to put a good race together, the kind that makes me feel that everything has came together like it should have been! But lets go from the beginning. 

I was really looking forward this years Mátra Maraton as the event was fully & completely renewed. Including new location, new start/finish area, brand spanking race course and the whole jazz altogether! 

Well, I've pretty much dropped my jaw straight after we arrived to the race centre at Mátraszentistván. Stunning spot it is, absolutely mind blowing!!

"Lets do this!"

As I was in a great mood and also put in a good training week I was dying to get ready and line up at the start line. But before all that we all lined up for a nice team photo:

Great bunch of lads here at MátraBiker :) 

I was pretty lucky to get to the start area nice & early so I managed to start from the 3rd row. The field was led out to the course and after the slow start the game was on! I mean ON! I felt great on the bike and the legs were turning well also. So everything was on one card straight from the start and the strategy was to go flat out and not to look back. 

The course was something else! It was simply brilliant: bone dry trails with a tad bit of mud here and there, loads of roots and even more rocks. And some climbs...I mean some proper climbs! Steep ones that put the hurt on! :) 

In action

The race was going my way and at about 30 km mark I still felt proper speed in the system so I decided to gamble a bit and it worked. I managed to cross the finish line with the best result of this season! 

I finished 38 km race with 1000 m elevation just a tad bit over 2 hours. This was enough to get the 12th place out of the more than 80 Masters 1 riders. Am I happy with the result?! Sure I am!! 

  

Shortly after the finish with a massive smile on my head. The target for the season was to get into the top 15 in Masters 1. I was knocking on the door already but last Sunday I finally managed to open that door. This 12th place is good for me, it is pretty much as good as it could get this year. :) 

Yep, it's time to get cleaned up and get some rest 

And what can I say about this year's Mátra Maraton? It... was ... freakin'... PERFECT! Massive thanks to the organizers and everyone involved for putting such a great race and great day together for us. The location is stunning and the course was savage! It was easily one of the best XCM race that I've done in the last 18 years! Hats off!