Van der Haar dominates in Valkenburg

Young Dutchman Lars van der Haar (Giant-Shimano) repeated his long solo victory of last year in the World Cup opening round in Valkenburg, the Netherlands.

In warm, almost summer-like conditions, Van der Haar once again preceded Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games), this time by 26 seconds. Compatriot Corné van Kessel (Telenet-Fidea) rode a great last lap and captured a surprising third place to give the Netherlands three riders in the top six, equal that of Belgium.

The USA's Jeremy Powers (Aspire Racing) finished a solid ninth at 1:10 but Jonathan Page (Fuji-Spyoptics) had a difficult start to the race, damaging his bike in the squeeze at the first corner. He eventually finished two laps down. Sven Nys (Crelan-AA Drink) also had a bad day, losing his chain as he fought for a placing. He eventually quit the race.

“There’s one round less but anything can happen since I can be forced to drop out in the next round too. I rode a great race and did my thing. This was my first peak of the season. After the first lap I felt I had the legs to win today. Then I started to check out where I could exploit my qualities. It went perfect. I felt stronger than last year,” Van der Haar said after grabbing the victory.

Van der Haar led the race straight from the start and then awaited the arrival of Pauwels and Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) to distance the rest of the field.

While Pauwels and Meeusen were spotted entering the pit area to grab a bottle of water, Van der Haar never opted to take a drink.

“I didn’t dare to take a bottle because if you miss it you have to stop otherwise you get disqualified. If those riders drink they must feel the heat. You don’t need to drink in a one hour race,” Van der Haar stated.

On the fourth lap Van der Haar upped the pace and dropped Meeusen. A little later Pauwels bounced out of a deep rut in a steep descent and landed on the ground. He got up but his chance of victory had gone.

“Lars was stronger,” Pauwels told Sporza. Van der Haar looked back but sped away and was gone for good.

“Pauwels was strong but I pushed him to the limit. You don’t crash if you’re comfortable. He probably was no longer fresh at that descent and crashed,” Van der Haar said.

While Van der Haar extended his lead up to more than a minute on the first chasers there was an exciting battle going on for the remaining podium spots.

At first Pauwels and Meeusen seemed to have the best cards but as the finale of the race unfolded Philipp Walsleben (BKCP-Powerplus), Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Napoleon Games), Thijs van Amerongen (Telenet-Fidea) and Van Kessel joined the chase group.

Walsleben was the first to blow up and settle for seventh place. On the final lap Vantornout accelerated but then got dropped with Van Amerongen when Van Kessel attacked.

“I took profit when the pace dropped a little,” Van Kessel told Sporza.

Meeusen waved goodbye to the podium when he touched the barriers in a fast corner and lost momentum. Pauwels easily gapped van Kessel and took second place.

Van der Haar defends his leading position in the World Cup on November 22 when the riders will battle in the sand dunes of Koksijde, Belgium.

Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Development Team Giant-Shimano1:05:42
2Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:00:26
3Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet - Fidea0:00:34
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:00:38
5Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - FideaRow 4 - Cell 2
6Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Telenet - Fidea0:00:41
7Philipp Walsleben (Ger) Bkcp - Powerplus0:00:48
8Jens Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team0:00:59
9Jeremy Powers (USA)0:01:10
10Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:01:24
11Tim Merlier (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:01:31
12Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:01:38
13Michael Boros (Cze)0:01:58
14Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:02:05
15Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet - Fidea0:02:18
16Francis Mourey (Fra) Fdj.Fr0:02:23
17Arnaud Grand (Swi)0:02:25
18Fabien Canal (Fra) Look - Beaumes De Venise0:02:30
19Twan Van Den Brand (Ned)0:02:35
20Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Marchiol Emisfero0:02:48
21Tomas Paprstka (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team Kolin0:02:55
22Bart Aernouts (Bel) Corendon - Kwadro0:03:04
23Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Corendon - Kwadro0:03:08
24Rob Peeters (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team0:03:24
25Andreas Moser (Swi)0:03:25
26Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels0:03:38
27Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon - Kwadro0:04:02
28Sascha Weber (Ger) Veranclassic - Doltcini0:04:11
29Simon Zahner (Swi)0:04:12
30Ian Field (GBr)0:04:42
31Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)0:04:51
32Melvin Rulliere (Fra)0:04:58
33Lukas Winterberg (Swi)0:05:24
-1lapMarco Bianco (Ita)Row 33 - Cell 2
-1lapClement Lhotellerie (Fra)Row 34 - Cell 2
-1lapMariusz Gil (Pol) Corendon - KwadroRow 35 - Cell 2
-2lapsEddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned)Row 36 - Cell 2
-2lapsKenneth Hansen (Den)Row 37 - Cell 2
-2lapsSeverin Saegesser (Swi)Row 38 - Cell 2
-2lapsBen Berden (Bel)Row 39 - Cell 2
-2lapsJonathan Page (USA)Row 40 - Cell 2
-3lapsJosep Betalu (Spa)Row 41 - Cell 2
-3lapsDavid Van Der Poel (Ned) Bkcp - PowerplusRow 42 - Cell 2
-4lapsYu Takenouchi (Jpn) Veranclassic - DoltciniRow 43 - Cell 2
-4lapsJoachim Parbo (Den)Row 44 - Cell 2
-4lapsElia Silvestri (Ita)Row 45 - Cell 2
-5lapsAngus Edmond (NZl)Row 46 - Cell 2
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Elite men World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Development Team Giant-Shimano80pts
2Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team70Row 1 - Cell 3
3Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet - Fidea65Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team60Row 3 - Cell 3
5Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea55Row 4 - Cell 3
6Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Telenet - Fidea50Row 5 - Cell 3
7Philipp Walsleben (Ger) Bkcp - Powerplus48Row 6 - Cell 3
8Jens Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Ct46Row 7 - Cell 3
9Jeremy Powers (USA)44Row 8 - Cell 3
10Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team42Row 9 - Cell 3
11Tim Merlier (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team40Row 10 - Cell 3
12Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea39Row 11 - Cell 3
13Michael Boros (Cze)38Row 12 - Cell 3
14Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team37Row 13 - Cell 3
15Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet - Fidea36Row 14 - Cell 3
16Francis Mourey (Fra) Fdj.Fr35Row 15 - Cell 3
17Arnaud Grand (Swi)34Row 16 - Cell 3
18Fabien Canal (Fra) Look - Beaumes De Venise33Row 17 - Cell 3
19Twan Van Den Brand (Ned)32Row 18 - Cell 3
20Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Marchiol Emisfero31Row 19 - Cell 3
21Tomas Paprstka (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team Kolin30Row 20 - Cell 3
22Bart Aernouts (Bel) Corendon - Kwadro29Row 21 - Cell 3
23Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Corendon - Kwadro28Row 22 - Cell 3
24Rob Peeters (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Ct27Row 23 - Cell 3
25Andreas Moser (Swi)26Row 24 - Cell 3
26Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels25Row 25 - Cell 3
27Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon - Kwadro24Row 26 - Cell 3
28Sascha Weber (Ger) Veranclassic - Doltcini23Row 27 - Cell 3
29Simon Zahner (Swi)22Row 28 - Cell 3
30Ian Field (GBr)21Row 29 - Cell 3
31Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)20Row 30 - Cell 3
32Melvin Rulliere (Fra)19Row 31 - Cell 3
33Lukas Winterberg (Swi)18Row 32 - Cell 3
34Marco Bianco (Ita)17Row 33 - Cell 3
35Clement Lhotellerie (Fra)16Row 34 - Cell 3
36Mariusz Gil (Pol) Corendon - Kwadro15Row 35 - Cell 3
37Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned)14Row 36 - Cell 3
38Kenneth Hansen (Den)13Row 37 - Cell 3
39Severin Saegesser (Swi)12Row 38 - Cell 3
40Ben Berden (Bel)11Row 39 - Cell 3
41Jonathan Page (USA)10Row 40 - Cell 3
42Josep Betalu (Spa)9Row 41 - Cell 3
43David Van Der Poel (Ned) Bkcp - Powerplus8Row 42 - Cell 3
44Yu Takenouchi (Jpn) Veranclassic - Doltcini7Row 43 - Cell 3
45Joachim Parbo (Den)6Row 44 - Cell 3
46Elia Silvestri (Ita)5Row 45 - Cell 3
47Angus Edmond (NZl)4Row 46 - Cell 3

 

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