Lars van der Haar, the 33-year-old two-time European
cyclocross champion, may be the leader of the X2O Trophy after the Rapencross
in Lokeren, but he played a more supportive role for Thibau Nys during the race.
Speaking to In de Leiderstrui after the race, Van der Haar discussed his
performance and admitted that due to circumstances in his personal life he was
not at his best.
“It was like I said beforehand, I didn't feel good enough to
compete for the win. Of course, I wasn't bad at all, but I saw a few good
opportunities to give Thibau something,” Van der Haar said, reflecting on his
race strategy.
He revealed that he had planned to support Thibau Nys before
the race. “I didn't feel completely at my best before the race, so I had
already told Thibau beforehand, if the opportunities arise, I will let a gap
fall.
“I did that twice and the second time it was a hit,” Van der
Haar explained. “The first time was perhaps a bit too early for Thibau, but the
second time, when he rode away with Laurens, I did it again, and that
eventually brought Thibau the victory.”
Despite not reaching the podium himself, Van der Haar was
satisfied with his performance. “We do it for each other. In the end, Thibau
doesn't ride the entire classification, so it doesn't matter for the final
victory. Today I do a very good thing, but I would have liked to be on the
podium anyway.”
Read also
Van der Haar’s lead over Eli Iserbyt now stands at 25
seconds, with Nys trailing by over a minute. Assessing his form, Van der Haar
stated, “If you were in top form last week, it won't be bad all of a sudden.
I'm talking about one or two percent that you miss to really compete with the
guys at the front.”
Van der Haar finished by saying, “You couldn't make up much
more towards the end, and the gap with Michael was there. I didn't expect that,
while I was still in the race for the podium. I was aiming for those last two
laps, at the moment that Thibau had enough of a lead. But suddenly there was a
gap that I had to close, which I couldn't do anymore.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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