Miroslav Debnár

1. Not very many people know you started racing on bike back at your Junior age. At that time your form rocketed and was a big surprise to everyone.

I started racing quite late – to be precise, it was not real racing, just participating at a regional cycling cup in Krupina where I heard many interesting stories about ‘the real racing’ at an Elite level. I really enjoyed racing, so when Mr.Hecl, a coach at that time, asked me to joined their team I didn’t hesisate. My first Elite race was a Slovak Elite Cup in Kláštor pod Znievom. I finished in the peloton, what I considered as a huge satisfaction since never before have I ridden in a peloton, I had no technique of riding in a peloton. I did like my first racing experience though, so I asked my dad, himself a former racer, to train me. My most important knowledge of cycling comes therefore from my dad.

2. At a Championship of Slovakia, Up-Hill Time-Trial, you made it to the podium. You finished 3rd and surpassed everyones expectations, definitely those of your competitors. Invitation to a professional army team Dukla Trenčín and a military service at this team followed. How do you recollect these years?

I was riding pretty well in my 2nd year Junior. Partly due to my advantage that not many riders and team managers were aware of me, so many times they were just not careful enough and underestimated me. Because I was so litte known, many people doubted my good result at the up-hill Time Trial, I remember protests at the finish line. Jurčo won the gold medal back then. I obviously was satisfied with my result. I believe this good result at a national level helped me to get to an army team Dukla where I spent the following 3 years including my military service. I learned a lot, especially understood that cycling is a team sport. But on the other side I lost my passion for riding – before I did cycling because I liked it. At Dukla I did it because it was my employment, and I had to accept the team tactics many times. The passion dissapeared. I think that todays’ young riders need an experience, call it a training camp, like I had. Due to my lack of motivation, I quit cycling for the next following years.

3. What did you do in the meantime and what brought you back to racing and cycling in general?

I found a girlfriend and got a 3-shift job shortly after leaving Dukla, so I didn’t really have much time and energy left for cycling. In some time I somehow started to miss it, so started to train a bit, just short distances 2 or 3 times a week. After we broke up with my girlfriend, I realized I had a lot of free time, so I got myself a licence and started racing the Merida Road Cup. It was just a racing for fun, I didn’t take it very seriously.  

4. There are numerous examples of a woman ‘ruining’ a talented sportsman’s career. So “cherchez la famme“, or the English translation “no matter what the problem, a woman is often the root cause“ applies to you perfectly. After a visible improvements in your stamina last year, you were invited to join Cycling Team Banská Bystrica. What is your perception of this step?

At first I was a bit reluctant to the offer since I wanted to ride only for fun. I didn’t want to go back to the demanding semi-professional cycling, it is harder to find time and motivation to train after returning home from work. Looking back I am very glad I did join the team. During the past just couple of months I have been to places and participated at races I would never dream of before. I also very much appreciate the material support which has been on a top level this year – having been given the chance to use a top quality material from our sponsors drive my motivation for training even harder.

5. What are your next plans and aims for this season?

No specific goals really. I am looking forward to my first start at Tour the Slovakia, I have no idea what to expect of it. I would also like to make a good result at all Slovak National Cups – so far I am second in the overall classification, I would like to keep this ranking or make it to the top one by the end of the season. For other races or race schedule I really have no plans and expectations, but I hope to be in a good form and help the team whenever possible.

6. Besides road racing, we could have also seen you in some cyclocross races. Do we see you again also this year?

Definitelly yes, I am looking forward to my cyclocross season. As I don’t belong to the best cyclocross riders in Slovakia, I don’t feel any pressure on me and my results and race mostly for fun; it’s a great finish of the cycling season before winter comes plus it gives me opportunity to improve my technical skills.