He had two C2 triumphs on his 2024-25 season palmares, but on Friday’s opening round of the X2O Badkamers Trofee, the Koppenbergcross in Oudenaarde, Belgium, Lars van der Haar started the defense of his series title with a C1 victory. In winning his second Koppenbergcross, a delighted van der Haar gained confidence going into the European Championships.
Last season van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions) took the Trofee by 1:41 over Pauwel Sauzen’s Eli Iserbyt without winning a round. Mathieu van der Poel gobbled up the middle four of eight rounds.
Having earned double 2023-24 World Cup round wins, Pim Ronhaar was challenging his first C1 race of the season. Last year’s Koppenbergcross champion and last week’s Superprestige round victor Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) was on the start line.
They climbed the Koppenberg in its entirety on the starting lap and then faced a half climb per taxing 2.8-km lap after that. Pauwels Sauzen rider Yorben Lauryssen grabbed a surprise lead, Iserbyt pulling the string behind his teammate. The Lions were deep in the pack. European champion Michael Vanthourenhout kept himself in the picture. On the first half climb of Koppenberg, Iserbyt pressed forward, hitting the line at 9:42.
With Iserbyt solo on Lap 2, teammate Vanthourenhout made the link up. Toon Aerts is making a comeback with Deschacht-Hens-FSP this season, and he rode with Nys.
A fan behaved disgracefully, throwing a cup of (hopefully) water at Iserbyt.
Aerts and Nys made it over to the teammates on the Koppenberg. By the start of Lap 3, van der Haar and Lander Loockx joined in. Gaps appeared in this short string. Vanthourenhout tried to bolt but the end result was Loockx shook loose from the group.
Aerts pulled into Lap 4 of 7. Nys took over and pushed on, but the quintet clambered up the Koppenberg intact.
Van der Haar attacked at the start of Lap 5 as the others caught fresh bikes. Iserbyt was called on to chase another Lion, but the gap opened and van der Haar took 31 seconds from Iserbyt by the top of Koppenberg.
On the penultimate lap, Iserbyt, Nys, Aerts and Vanthourenhout realized they were now in a podium scrap. Iserbyt made winning strong bid for runner-up, and Aerts dropped the others in pursuit of the final podium step.
The next round is November 10 in Kortrijk.
2024-2025 X2O Badkamers Trofee, Round 1 Oudenaarde
1) Lars…
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