Lars van der Haar on Koppenbergcross - "I am happy, very happy because I have wanted to win this cross all my career"

Lars van der Haar won the Koppenbergcross after an exciting battle against Eli Iserbyt. The Dutchman managed to beat the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal's duo Eli Iserbyt and Michael Vanthourenhout in the final lap.

"I am happy, very happy because I have wanted to win this cross all my career," Van der Haar told Sporza. But it was not an easy one, he crashed in the last lap, which gave Vanthourenhout an edge against him. However, Van der Haar was determined to secure the victory. "I felt it was in it today, but I had to fall again. I was very angry. Michael rode away, but I felt I was better,” said Van der Haar.

The main obstacle preventing him from reaching the podium was Iserbyt. They were both leading for the majority of the race and trying to gain an advantage over one another."I just wasn't allowed to ride too fast to him, because then I risked a counter from Eli. I saw that I was getting closer too fast. I had to keep the gap like that and do it in the sprint. If you are explosive, you can still make up an incredible amount in the final meters. I was still afraid that Eli would pass me, but I felt that there wasn't much left for him either. I gave it my all one last time. Now I'm all to the rats,” described Van der Haar.

His victory boosts his confidence ahead of the European cyclocross championship on Sunday. "That really is another completely different cross, though. I am very proud of the fact that I won my last race in that shirt. I will do everything I can on Sunday to win again," concluded Van der Haar.