by Keir Plaice

This past weekend, Lars van der Haar won his second UCI World Cup cyclocross event in Tabor, Czech Republic. At just 22 years old, the Dutch racer already has two European, four Dutch and two world championship titles. This past February, in Louisville, Ky., he placed third in the cyclocross world championships as an elite, even though he was still eligible to compete in the under-23 category. While naturally gifted, van der Haar builds his cyclocross success on his exacting approach to the sport. Here are his most important bits of advice for cyclocross racers.

Examine the course

Before a race, van der Haar does a few easy laps to preview the course and figure out what tires and pressure to use. He then does a lap at race pace to find where to brake and where to shift. Finally, he will hop on the rollers for a 20-minute session before the start.

Start fast

To get a quick jump off of the line, van der Haar begins in a easy gear that lets him accelerate immediately. “I always set my pedal in the same place so that clicking in is automatic,” he says.

Corner quickly

“We always try to pedal through the corners,” van der Haar says. Cornering is all about maintaining momentum. Van der Haar adjusts his speed using the front brake more than the rear and shifts gears before each turn so that he can exit more quickly. He picks the route with the best traction, makes sure to keep his weight centred over the bike, and always has his eyes focused on the line ahead.

Flow with the terrain

Van der Haar spends much of a race out of the saddle to absorb shocks from the ground with his legs and torso. “You have to use your body as suspension to go fast,” he says.

Power into softer sections

To negotiate muddy and sandy sections, accelerate into them with as much speed and stability as possible. “You need to lean back and let the bike go; you don’t really want to steer unless you are going to go into the barriers,” he says.

Lower the pressure

“Tire pressure is most important,” van der Haar says. The Rabobank Development Team rider uses tubular tires that allow him to run lower pressures and reduce the risk of punctures. While different tread patterns are suited to different conditions, van der Haar recommends a good, medium tire for most races. Except for a for a stem that is 1 cm shorter on his cyclocross bike, his position for racing in the mud is identical to that which he rides on the road.

Dress right

Managing your body temperature in the winter can be challenging. At race pace, you produce a lot of heat, so you don’t need many layers. However, you can cool down quickly once the effort is over. When van der Haar is training, he always brings a bag with extra dry clothes and spare gloves. At a race, he changes into new clothes between the warm-up and the start.

Train on the road

“To build power and speed, you need to train on your road bike,” van der Haar says. He does most of his training on the asphalt, even during his racing season. In August, he does start to include weekly technique sessions on his cyclocross bike to work on any weaknesses. If conditions are very bad in the winter, he will spend more time training off-road. “In the forest, it is warmer and if the roads are icy, it is too dangerous,” he says.

Consume simple fuel

Van der Haar makes sure to fuel properly. He sticks to easy-to-digest foods that won’t upset his stomach. “In one hour of racing, I will burn through all of my sugars,” he says. “I will eat a normal breakfast with four pieces of bread; three hours before the race, a plate of plain pasta; and then, during warm-up, two pieces of white bread with jam.”