"He came to our training as a 15-year-old with his big mouth" - Dutch national coach recalls anecdote of first meeting with Lars van der Haar

Lars van der Haar is now one of the most successful stars in cyclocross. The Dutch national coach, Gerben de Knegt has been incredibly impressed with his compatriot's progress in recent years.

"If you see where he is now, I think it is especially great that he has reinvented himself," de Knegt reveals in conversation with In de Leiderstrui. "A few years ago his career was successful, but I didn't know at the time whether he would continue for another five years or whether he would stop. Now he has found a new role for himself and started winning again. He has made the click that he can really win."

The Baloise Trek Lions rider has two victories to his name already this campaign at the UCI World Cup in Maasmechelen and Superprestige Overijse. It's true that the biggest stars in the discipline are yet to make their appearances known this season but van der Haar still has reason to confident according to de Knegt. "Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert participate, he will ride for third place, but in the past he has resigned himself to that a little too quickly," says the Dutch coach. "It didn't work out, but now he has more peace as a married dad. That also ensures stability."

"I've known him for a long time, because I even raced with him," he recalls. "A lot of people don't even know that, but when I was still cycling myself, he came to our training as a 15-year-old with his big mouth. Then I thought: what kind of guy is this?"