The 24-year-old Dutchman began his cyclo-cross season earlier this month at CrossVegas, the first race of the World Cup series and the first-ever World Cup in the US. He ended his road season the previous week at the Tour of Alberta.
“I hope to take another step forward in my development as a CX rider this season,” said van der Haar, who finished just off the podium in Las Vegas behind Wout Van Aert (Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace), Sven Nys and Michael Vanthourenhout (Sunweb-Napoleon Games).
Van der Haar said he will once again target the World Cups and Superprestige races.
“On top of that I will be aiming to reach top form at the World Championships in Zolder, Belgium, and to go for a good result there.”
Van der Haar was the U23 World Champion in 2011 and 2012 and finished third in the elite men’s race last season
Coach Dirk Reuling said Worlds will be Van der Haar’s main focus this year.
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“The course suits him very well, as it will be same as the Zolder World Cup race, where he has won a couple of times already,” Reuling said. “For his season in general we will aim for podium finishes in both the World Cup and the Superprestige classifications.
“There are a lot of races, and we have decided to focus on those two classifications. The World Cup is obviously the most important, and the Superprestige races suit him well.”
Van der Haar proved last year he can ride with the best cyclo-crossers in the world, Reuling said, and they hope to continue his progression this year.
“This season we hope to confirm that Lars consistently belongs among the world’s top racers and take whatever opportunities come in races that suit him, such as the World Cup race in Valkenburg, for example.”
Lars van der Haar’s 2015-16 cyclo0cross program:
October 4, 2015 – Gieten, the Netherlands October 11, 2015 – Ronsse, Belgium October 18, 2015 – Valkenburg, the Netherlands October 20, 2015 – Woerden, the Netherlands October 25, 2015 – Zonhoven, Belgium October 31, 2015 – Boom, Belgium November 1, 2015 – Oudenaarde, Belgium November, 7, 2015 – European Championships: Huijbergen, the Netherlands November 8, 2015 – Ruddervoorde, the Netherlands November 15, 2015 – Asper Gavere, Belgium November 22, 2015 – Koksijde, Belgium November 29, 2015 – Hame Zogge, Belgium December 12, 2015 – Mol, Belgium December 13, 2015 – Spa Francorschamps, Belgium December 19, 2015 – Antwerpen, Belgium December 20, 2015 – Namur, Belgium December 26, 2015 – Heusden Zolder, Belgium December 27, 2015 – Diegem, Belgium January 1, 2016 – Baal, Belgium January 10, 2016 – National Championships: Hellendoorn, the Netherlands January 17, 2016 – Bourges, France January 23, 2016 – Rucphen, the Netherlands January 24, 2016 – Hoogerheide, the Netherlands January 31, 2016 – World Championships: Zolder, Belgium February 3, 2016 – Maldegem, Belgium February 6, 2016 – St Niklaas, Belgium February 7, 2016 – Hoogstraten, Belgium February 13, 2016 – Middelkerke, Belgium February 14, 2016 – Heerlen, the Netherlands February 21, 2016 – Oostmalle, Belgium February 24, 2016 – Waregem, Belgium
