"Lars van der Haar showed some technical limitations" - Cyrille Guimard on the European Cyclocross Championships
Cyclocross
At the European Cyclocross Championships on Sunday, Michael Vanthourenhout was impressively able to defend his title.
Analysing the race, Cyrille Guimard was incredibly impressed by the Belgian's comeback in form compared to the earlier crosses this campaign. "Michael Vanthourenhout was a little behind in the last events, compared to Lars van der Haar, Eli Iserbyt or Thibau Nys," the Frenchman tells Cyclism'Actu. "But on this day, he was on a cross to his liking, he mastered from a long way. Great race, well managed, started very early. At no time was he really worried."
British national champion, Cameron Mason and Dutch national champion, Lars van der Haar completed the podium but Guimard was a little disappointed by Vanthourenhout's competition. "Van der Haar showed some technical limitations, he did not have the means to put him in difficulty," Guimard explains. "It's a nice winner, even if it's not a flashy winner we'll say."
Pre-race, Thibau Nys was the favourite but ultimately, he could not live up to expectations. "A lack of experience, no, that's an alibi. When we see the father's titles and those he has already obtained in cyclo-cross, and not only that... No, he just wasn't in the race," says Guimard. "Did contesting the Koppenberg this week take a bit too much of a toll on him? It's not impossible."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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🇧🇪Belgium's Michael Vanthourenhout manages to stay on the bike while cycling through treacherous conditions at the #EuroCross23! 🤯 Watch #EuroCross23 On Demand* on GCN+ gcn.eu/racetv @UEC_cycling *territoryrestrictionsapply
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