Lars van der Haar has won the cyclo-cross against Gavere in an impressive way. The Dutchman lost his competition in the final cross of the Superprestige and crossed the finish line solo with more than a minute lead.
The Belgian Eli Iserbyt came in second at 1 minute and 8 seconds and secured the overall victory in the standings of the prominent cyclocross series. Toon Aerts was third at 1.40. Van der Haar recorded his fourth victory of the season in Gavere in Flanders. He won, among other things, the Dutch and European title. He took silver at the World Championships in the United States.
The 30-year-old Woudenberger is still participating in a cross in Brussels on Sunday and is then operated on a knee. ,,I have been struggling with knee problems for a while with long efforts. Last winter I spared my knee from long endurance workouts so as not to overload the knee. If I train for more than three hours, knee pain starts,” he said.
Brand wins for nineteenth time
Lucinda Brand has won the final classification in the Superprestige cyclo-cross for the second year in a row. The European champion also won the last cross in the series in Gavere, Belgium. She already registered her nineteenth victory of the season.
Brand was unapproachable in the Superprestige this year; she won six of the seven cyclocross races and usually with a great display of power. Also in the final cross in Gavere she was unable to keep up with her competitors. She distanced herself early in the race and gradually built up her lead. Annemarie Worst crossed the finish line in 35 seconds. Denise Betsema finished third and made it a fully Dutch podium.
The 32-year-old Brand won the Superprestige with 101 points. Betsema and Worst came out on as many points in the final standings (92), but because Betsema won the cross in Ruddervoorde this winter, she finished second in the standings.
“It went well,” Brand said afterwards at Sporza. “I had a lot of doubts because the track was very slippery this morning and I couldn’t master it. The plan was actually to gain some confidence in the beginning by riding other lines. But it turned out to be well dried out and I was able to find my rhythm right away. I’m riding a better season than last year, it’s still hard to believe that I’m the overall winner. I enjoy this.”
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