Van der Haar encountered a flat tyre just before the final lap, which made things worse for him. "But on the other hand, you never know. At that time I was not under pressure, then you also make fewer mistakes. When Michael came back and rode so well downhill, I was just under pressure. Then a mistake is easily made. Unfortunately, I made two small mistakes and one big one when I hit the pole. That did seriously affect me."
He also crashed several times during the race. "I just slid off with my front wheel, but unfortunately, I just slid into a pole with my hand. My shifter was also stuck in the tape. Before you get away once, then... I could also brake badly with my right hand for a lap then, I'm hurting pretty good now too."
He lost all hopes of victory after
Michael Vanthourenhout overtook him in the final lap. The gap was too big to even think about challenging him. "But that was too much, if Michael didn't make any mistakes. I could grab maybe one or two seconds uphill, I kept putting pressure, but he didn't make any mistakes. Of course I'm disappointed. I came here to win, but I got knocked for value. I did have a little bit of bad luck, but in the end I am at peace with it," Van der Haar concluded.