Dutch champion to defend national title but not seek to reclaim rainbow jersey as he targets 2012 Classics
Rabobank’s Lars Boom has announced what he describes as a “compact” cyclocross programme for this winter, consisting of just six races. Within those six, are two rounds of the World Cup and the Dutch national championships, where he will seek to defend his red, white and blue driekleur. There is no room for the World championships though, which will take place in Koksijde, Belgium, on January 29th.
“By that time I will already be well into my training for the spring,” he reasoned. “That is coming really fast already and I want to be completely on form for the Spring Classics. The World championships at the end of January doesn’t fit into that unfortunately.”
As a former World champion, Boom is one of the few foreigners that has been able to take on the dominance of the Belgians in recent years; there was actually a rare collaboration inside the Belgian national team at the 2009 World championships in Hoogerheide, Netherlands, to see off the Dutchman’s challenge.
He has almost completely switched to the road now though, but still wants to ride a serious winter programme.
“Because I still really enjoy competing in cyclocross,” he explained. “It is for me a very good thing for the winter and the explosive character suits me very well. Moreover, the atmosphere, particularly at the races in Belgian, is always fantastic. It’s great to be there.”
Boom’s first race of the winter will be the World Cup race in Namen, Belgium, on December 18th. He knows however, that he will start the race on the back foot in comparison to his rivals.
“By that time last year I’d already done two races; this time around I will be starting from the beginning,” he acknowledged. “These six [races] are in a timeframe of three weeks; that’s just the right number.
“They are also beautiful cross races,” he added. “I’m very happy with them.”
Lars Boom’s 2011/12 cyclocross programme:
December 18th: World Cup Namen, Belgium
December 20th: Centrumcross Surhuisterveen, Netherlands
December 26th: World Cup Heusden-Zolder, Belgium
December 28th: GVA-trofee Azencross Loenhout, Belgium
December 30th: Fidea Cyclo-cross Leuven, Belgium
January 8th: Dutch National championships, Huijbergen, Netherlands