Van der Haar Repeats U23 CX World Title
by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 28, 2012 10:07 AM EST
in News
Email
PrintLars van der Haar of the Netherlands repeated as U23 world champion today in a dramatic last lap and final sprint ahead of Belgian Wietse Bosmans and Dutch teammate Michael van der Heijden. The trio had been riding together for a few laps, with Bosmans racing smartly to stay with the two Dutch riders. On the last lap, where the slightest factors could make or break a world championship, the trio all nearly came a-cropper on the Herijgers Dune, with Bosmans and van der Haar both stumbling in a corner of deep sand and van der Heijden catching his brake lever on a sign.
That left Bosmans and van der Haar in the lead, and Bosmans seized another advantage on the last dune climb, when van der Haar flinched and gave away five meters with precious little racing left to go. Flemish announcers went berserk there, but van der Haar had the best legs of anyone in the field. He closed the gap quickly with the same burst of speed he'd used to launch several small attacks and tactical maneuvers in the last two laps, and used a second burst to pass Bosmans in a grassy stretch just before the finish. That sewed up the title, with only a left hand turn on pavement and a short distance to the line for van der Haar to hold the lead.
France's Arnaud Jouffroy, by the way, came from way back to nearly make the sprint in a tremendous final lap. Too late for a medal though. Final results:
- Lars van der Haar, Netherlands
- Wietse Bosmans, Belgium
- Michael van der Heijden, Netherlands
- Arnaud Jouffroy, France
- Laurens Sweeck, Belgium
56 comments
|
Add comment
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
(directed towards bot Wietse and Lars)
and I like it when races are a bit dirty, good for the excitement.
From a neutral perspective
I support that sentiment today. Bosmans really deserved this.
(But if you bah K-Pow when he beats your beloved Sven tomorrow, no prisoners will be taken.)
I will bah
if K-Pow wheelsucks his way to a win (but I’ll also be at the race so you’ll have to bah for me)
No, Vd Heijden deserved this.
Came back from 35th position after a crash in front of him.
by blackswangreen on Jan 28, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
If you look at the entire season, Lars probably deserves it most
I have no problem with him being WC
he won
with less technique but more power.
De cross gaat out that door.
by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 28, 2012 10:19 AM EST up reply actions
jaa
He and Bosmans rode very crafty races.
De cross gaat out that door.
by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 28, 2012 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
Hope footage goes up of it sometime
After reading the tweets from during the race, I really have to see it. Sounds like one of the best races of the year.
I NEED MOAR MUD
by Douglas Ansel on Jan 28, 2012 8:21 PM EST up reply actions
The last lap is on Sporza Videozone
It was an amazing race. Soooooo exciting!
It's pronounced "Int-CHOW-stie"
Good analysis by Nys:
“Wietse rode perfect until halfway the race, when Lard decided to wait for Michael VDH. Wietse wanted to stay in his comfort zone: going hard in the sand and recovering in between. He should have dropped the hammer there to avoid Michael VDH coming back and to put Lars under pressure. He made the wrong tactical choice and payed for it in the end.”
Nys rode 50 minutes on the course today with an average HR of 170. Sounds like a race simulation to me.
We know his mantra by now: always better on the second day.
It's the traditional training the day before a race.
Most crossers do it and nearly all the roadracers.
You can let your legs spin and go real fast without wasting energy. I think it’s mainly a mental thing. It gives you the impression you’re going fest withourt doing any effort, that’s good for the confidence.
Plus, there is something different about riding at speed
I can’t put a finger on it. But as a racer, I know it’s there. For example, it’s harder to put down hard efforts with a tailwind than a headwind (for me, at least). Something about riding at 45-50kph is just, well, different
I NEED MOAR MUD
by Douglas Ansel on Jan 28, 2012 8:23 PM EST up reply actions
Interesting
I thought Bosmans should have dropped the hammer in the last two minutes too, but that’s easy for me to say.
De cross gaat out that door.
by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 28, 2012 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
seems like it
just… why??? But that’s hindsight I guess.
De cross gaat out that door.
by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 28, 2012 10:47 AM EST up reply actions
The interviewers didn't ask
but that last straight is so short, it’s nearly impossible to pass someone. Especially if the first guy drifts to his right (remembe?r)
really?
I don’t remember it being short — in the Nys/Pauwels drama, it’s seemed to drag on for a long way – I had no doubt Pauwels would have got around him in a straight line. My sense today was just that Bosmans gave up halfway down the straight because it clearly wasn’t happening.
Maybe they moved it?
De cross gaat out that door.
by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 28, 2012 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
Just hadn't got the legs anymore in the last 2 minuts
Otherwise he could have bring home the gap created by the bad sand (strook?) of van der Haar
yeah
There may have been some tactical thinking, but whatever, LvdH clearly had the best legs.
De cross gaat out that door.
by Chris Fontecchio on Jan 28, 2012 12:11 PM EST up reply actions
I guess the Nys analysis is spot on, given what Wietse knew about van der Haar's sprinting.
So in truth, perhaps Bosmans didn’t deserve the win so much as I felt. More an emotional reaction.
After that last mistake by Van der Haar, Bosmans seemed to hold back.
That’s the one thing I really don’t understand. Herygers had already pronounced him the world champ, but he thought otherwise??
by blackswangreen on Jan 28, 2012 11:19 AM EST up reply actions
Albert:
Very relax and feeling confident for tomorrow. I’m tapering and should be at my best by tomorrow
Is Albert always like he has been this season?
Seems like it’s a crapshoot – when he’s on, he can be untouchable and win by 30s; when he’s off, he’s nowhere. And there doesn’t seem to be any obvious pattern to it, so far as I can tell.
It feels like Christmans Eve now... I want to go to bed.
Remember how as a kid you would try to go to bed and sleep early so that Christmas Day would come sooner?
"Van der Heijden catching his brake lever on a sign."
Well, yeah. Because he got full on body-checked by Bosmans.
"Beer helps." -- Ant1.
Hey Albertina!
How were the reactions around the course after the dirty moves by Wietse and Lars? And what were the Chainstay-pro’s thinking?
There was some booing at one point for the Dutch guys but everything Wietse did was met with a cheer!
There aren’t any pros at the Chainstay at the no as they’re with their national teams. Everyone seems to be just applauding it as a really enthralling race. The Belgians round me took a pretty dim view of me yelling Laaaaaaaaaaaasaars!!!!! Gooooooooo!!!!! ;)
It's pronounced "Int-CHOW-stie"
by Albertina on Jan 28, 2012 5:08 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Just watched that final lap
Best racing of the year? This and the Nys-Pauwels duel in the Koksijde WC perhaps?
Yeah, that was tremendous.
As for the shenanigans. By the time all was said and done, I’m not sure anyone gained a decisive advantage from any of it. I’m willing to say great race and leave it there.
Ja, I saw it before read the polemica
Sure there was some argy bargy and the fence thing looked a bit hairy but I agree on that.
Rubbin's racin.
’bout all I gotta say after watching that last lap. Smart racing by both Lars and Bosmans.
I NEED MOAR MUD
Zach McDonald 12th! After horrible start!*
Not quite the top 10 I predicted, but without a crap start he’d be there. Boy is going somewhere.
*excuse the moment of anglo-centrism, please. When we get close to the top 10 in things like this, we’re dancing in the streets. We cry when we watch Page lose the 2007 worlds.
I NEED MOAR MUD
McDonald has always had horrible starts...that is what is holding him back
He could do something akin to what Summerhill did but dropping back to 30th on the first lap (like the last few races) destroys any chance.
by Vlaanderen90 on Jan 29, 2012 1:05 AM EST up reply actions
Something to say? Choose one of these options to log in.
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
