Van der Haar repeats with Zolder World Cup win

With an impressive long solo ride, Dutch champion Lars van der Haar (Giant-Shimano) repeated last year’s World Cup victory in Heusden-Zolder. In 2013 he won out of a large lead group, while this time around he completed a long solo ride to win the fifth World Cup round. 

On a chilly Boxing Day afternoon, the 23 year-old Dutch champion grabbed his second win of the season with a 45 second margin on World Cup leader Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games) despite a late dropped chain.

“For me it was a beautiful victory,” Van der Haar told Sporza. “I’ve been in good shape again but I just needed a bit of luck to finish it off. In the last races every time something happened. I thought it happened again with my chain. In the end I was strong enough to hold it off.”

The former F1 car racing circuit in Heusden-Zolder will also be the location for the 2016 UCI cyclo-cross world championships.

Pauwels enjoys a massive 80-point lead in the World Cup classification, but the Belgian rider still has to finish next month’s final World Cup round to be sure of the overall victory.

“He was just better than me today. [...] I’m second which isn’t bad so I’m pleased with that,” Pauwels said.

Corné van Kessel (Telenet-Fidea) was best of the rest, winning the battle for third place in the sprint from Swiss champion Julien Taramarcaz (Corendon-Kwadro), who rode his best race of the season.

“I think I got the most out of it,” Van Kessel said. “I’m pleased. Early on I was not taking the initiative. On a course like this with a lot of interval that’s the way to do it. It’s an important result for the team.”

During the first two laps it seemed like last year’s scenario was being followed, with a large lead group staying together for most of the race. Van der Haar was always paying attention at the front, with Pauwels keeping the Dutchman in sight. Things turned around at the end of the second lap. Van der Haar accelerated and five riders joined him in the lead. Nobody was willing to share the work with the Dutch champion on the asphalt of the car racing circuit, crossing the finish line to start the third lap.

Instead of sitting back, Van der Haar accelerated fiercely on the asphalt.

“There was an opportunity when Kevin was a little behind,” Van der Haar said. “I thought they would come back but they didn’t do anything. That’s when I thought: let’s try it with a real attack. I don’t do it often.”

Van der Haar's winning move followed a stalemate in the leading group, with Pauwels, Van Kessel, Julien Taramarcaz (Corenson-KwadrO), German champion Philipp Walsleben and his BKCP-Powerplus teammate David van der Poel marking each other closely. Walsleben tried to shake things up but couldn't get a gap, but when van der Haar countered, nobody could follow.

Pauwels didn’t seem to want to chase, the rest were unable or didn’t dare to chase. In no time, Van der Haar collected a gap of 15 seconds over the first chasers where Pauwels switched bikes.

“I made a mistake,” Pauwels said. “My brake was touching my rear wheel and I didn’t dare to switch bikes before because it was going so fast. That’s why I was riding at the back of the group. I should have been more to the front.”

There was a counter-attack from Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) with David van der Poel (BKCP-Powerplus), but Meeusen blew his engine, eventually finishing only 17th and dropping from second to fifth in the World Cup standings.

“I tried my best but it wasn’t good,” Meeusen told Sporza. “I expected a lot and the warm-up was good but after one acceleration it was over. I’m only human too."

As he crossed the finish line on the long straight line, Van der Haar saw that Pauwels was still a long way back. The gap was back down to 23 seconds but that grew in the two closing laps. Van der Haar tried to please the crowd with a shy attempt at a Sagan-like wheelie before crossing the line with a loud-out shout. Pauwels quietly rolled across the line in second place at 45 seconds.

Van Kessel won a long sprint for third place ahead of a disappointed Taramarcaz. The duo got rid of the BKCP duo of Philipp Walsleben and David van der Poel in the final lap. Young Gianni Vermeersch (Sunweb-Napoleon Games) won the sprint for seventh place at short distance. US champion Jeremy Powers finished 18th, just behind Tom Meeusen.

 

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Giant-Shimano Development Team1:08:10
2Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:00:45
3Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:01:10
4Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team0:01:26
6David Van Der Poel (Ned) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team0:01:31
7Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:01:33
8Sascha Weber (Ger) Veranclassic-Doltcini Cycling Team0:01:34
9Martin Bina (Cze) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Jens Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team0:01:39
11Rob Peeters (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team0:01:48
12Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:02:01
13Tim Merlier (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:02:07
14Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:02:08
16Simon Zahner (Swi) EKZ Racing Team0:02:14
17Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:03:16
18Jeremy Powers (USA) Team Rapha-Focus0:03:31
19Fabien Canal (Fra) Armée de Terre0:03:40
20Tomas Paprstka (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team Kolin0:03:47
21Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:03:55
22Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)0:03:56
23Mariusz Gil (Pol) Project Cross Racing0:04:13
24Bart Aernouts (Bel) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:04:29
25Bryan Falaschi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti0:04:30
26Ole Quast (Ger)0:04:36
27Michael Boros (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team TaborRow 26 - Cell 2
28Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team0:04:46
29Martin Haring (Svk)0:05:10
30Clement Lhotellerie (Fra)0:05:38
31Gert-Jan Bosman (Ned)0:05:56
32Kenneth Hansen (Den)0:05:59
33Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott- Odlo MTB Racing Team0:06:12
34Matej Lasak (Cze)0:06:38
35Twan Van Den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:06:43
36Josep Betalu (Spa)0:06:52
37Alois Falenta (Fra)0:06:53
38Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike0:07:10
39Flavien Dassonville (Fra) BIGMAT - AUBER 93Row 38 - Cell 2
40Ismael Felix Barba Frutos (Spa)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Yu Takenouchi (Jpn)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Agustin Navarro Vidal (Spa)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Aaron Schooler (Can) Focus CX TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Robert Marion (USA) American Classic Pro CyclocrossRow 43 - Cell 2
45Asier Arregui Dominguez (Spa)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Yannick Mayer (Ger)Row 45 - Cell 2
47Ramon Sagues Portabella (Spa)Row 46 - Cell 2
48Angus Edmond (NZl)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Mark Mcconnell (Can)Row 48 - Cell 2
50Ulrich Theobald (Ger)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Arnau Rota Cano (Spa)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Garry Millburn (Aus)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Asier Urdaibai Erauzkin (Spa)Row 52 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite Men World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team370pts
2Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Giant-Shimano Development Team290Row 1 - Cell 3
3Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team283Row 2 - Cell 3
4Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team269Row 3 - Cell 3
5Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team257Row 4 - Cell 3
6Jens Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team212Row 5 - Cell 3
7Rob Peeters (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team201Row 6 - Cell 3
8Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team190Row 7 - Cell 3
9Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team185Row 8 - Cell 3
10Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team180Row 9 - Cell 3
11Jeremy Powers (USA) Team Rapha-Focus172Row 10 - Cell 3
12Sascha Weber (Ger) Veranclassic-Doltcini Cycling Team170Row 11 - Cell 3
13Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team169Row 12 - Cell 3
14Bart Aernouts (Bel) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team169Row 13 - Cell 3
15Francis Mourey (Fra) Francaise des Jeux164Row 14 - Cell 3
16Fabien Canal (Fra) Armée de Terre164Row 15 - Cell 3
17Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team164Row 16 - Cell 3
18David Van Der Poel (Ned) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team156Row 17 - Cell 3
19Tim Merlier (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team148Row 18 - Cell 3
20Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team147Row 19 - Cell 3
21Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team145Row 20 - Cell 3
22Michael Boros (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tabor142Row 21 - Cell 3
23Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team129Row 22 - Cell 3
24Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott- Odlo MTB Racing Team119Row 23 - Cell 3
25Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)119Row 24 - Cell 3
26Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles106Row 25 - Cell 3
27Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike106Row 26 - Cell 3
28Simon Zahner (Swi) EKZ Racing Team102Row 27 - Cell 3
29Mariusz Gil (Pol) Project Cross Racing99Row 28 - Cell 3
30Twan Van Den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team95Row 29 - Cell 3
31Tomas Paprstka (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team Kolin93Row 30 - Cell 3
32Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink Team82Row 31 - Cell 3
33Wout Van Aert (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team80Row 32 - Cell 3
34Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team78Row 33 - Cell 3
35Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team77Row 34 - Cell 3
36Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team71Row 35 - Cell 3
37Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team65Row 36 - Cell 3
38Kenneth Hansen (Den)62Row 37 - Cell 3
39Josep Betalu (Spa)56Row 38 - Cell 3
40Gert-Jan Bosman (Ned)52Row 39 - Cell 3
41Radomir Simunek (Cze) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team52Row 40 - Cell 3
42Clement Lhotellerie (Fra)51Row 41 - Cell 3
43Andreas Moser (Swi)48Row 42 - Cell 3
44Arnaud Grand (Swi) BMC Development Team46Row 43 - Cell 3
45Martin Bina (Cze) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team44Row 44 - Cell 3
46Ole Quast (Ger)39Row 45 - Cell 3
47Lukas Winterberg (Swi)36Row 46 - Cell 3
48Martin Haring (Svk)35Row 47 - Cell 3
49Severin Saegesser (Swi)35Row 48 - Cell 3
50Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team33Row 49 - Cell 3
51Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti31Row 50 - Cell 3
52Flavien Dassonville (Fra) BIGMAT - AUBER 9330Row 51 - Cell 3
53Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team29Row 52 - Cell 3
54Jakub Skala (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tabor28Row 53 - Cell 3
55Yu Takenouchi (Jpn)28Row 54 - Cell 3
56Bryan Falaschi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti26Row 55 - Cell 3
57Vladimir Kyzivat (Cze) Johnson Controls TJ Auto Skoda26Row 56 - Cell 3
58Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team25Row 57 - Cell 3
59Marco Bianco (Ita)23Row 58 - Cell 3
60Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spa)21Row 59 - Cell 3
61Jack Clarkson (GBr)19Row 60 - Cell 3
62Melvin Rulliere (Fra)19Row 61 - Cell 3
63Matej Lasak (Cze)17Row 62 - Cell 3
64Jeremy Durrin (USA) Neon Velo Cycling Team15Row 63 - Cell 3
65Alois Falenta (Fra)14Row 64 - Cell 3
66Steven James (GBr)13Row 65 - Cell 3
67Ismael Felix Barba Frutos (Spa)11Row 66 - Cell 3
68Ben Sumner (GBr)11Row 67 - Cell 3
69Ben Berden (Bel) Raleigh Clement Professional Cyclocross Team11Row 68 - Cell 3
70Aaron Schooler (Can) Focus CX Team11Row 69 - Cell 3
71Martin Gujan (Swi)10Row 70 - Cell 3
72Agustin Navarro Vidal (Spa)10Row 71 - Cell 3
73Joachim Parbo (Den)10Row 72 - Cell 3
74Alex Paton (GBr)9Row 73 - Cell 3
75Ramon Sagues Portabella (Spa)9Row 74 - Cell 3
76Jody Crawforth (GBr)8Row 75 - Cell 3
77Robert Marion (USA) American Classic Pro Cyclocross7Row 76 - Cell 3
78Michael Schweizer (Ger)7Row 77 - Cell 3
79Gusty Bausch (Lux)7Row 78 - Cell 3
80Angus Edmond (NZl)7Row 79 - Cell 3
81Asier Arregui Dominguez (Spa)6Row 80 - Cell 3
82Nicholas Barnes (GBr)6Row 81 - Cell 3
83Yannick Mayer (Ger)5Row 82 - Cell 3
84Michael Wildhaber (Swi)5Row 83 - Cell 3
85Elia Silvestri (Ita)5Row 84 - Cell 3
86Jack Ravenscroft (GBr)4Row 85 - Cell 3
87Felix Drumm (Ger)4Row 86 - Cell 3
88David Montgomery (Irl)3Row 87 - Cell 3
89Mark Mcconnell (Can)3Row 88 - Cell 3
90Glen Kinning (Irl)2Row 89 - Cell 3
91Ulrich Theobald (Ger)1Row 90 - Cell 3
92Cameron Jette (Can)1Row 91 - Cell 3

 

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