Dutchman’s second victory would be sweet revenge for Rabobank coach Richard Groenendaal
Lars Boom (Rabobank) has always said that he would not be riding this month’s Cyclocross World Championships; he will instead be concentrating on the road season and his classics campaign. He never said that he would never ride the Cyclocross Worlds ever again though, and according to a light hearted conversation between the Dutch champion, newspaper De Stem, and team coach Richard Groenendaal, he will be riding next year.
The fans of Boom have always been disappointed with his decision to end his off road season with his victory in Sunday's Dutch Championship. To cheer them up a bit Groenendaal told De Stem: “Next year he will ride the World Championships.”
“Where is the World Championships next year?” asked Boom, and when he was told that it would be on the dunes of Koksijde, Belgium, his eyes lit up and he said” “Then I’ll definitely do it.”
For Boom to win the World title for a second time in Koksijde would be a kind of sweet revenge for coach Groenendaal. The last time the World Championships was held in Koksijde was in 1994, his very first season as an elite rider; the then 22-year-old had to settle for the silver medal behind Paul Herijgers – now a Sporza commentator.
Groenendaal went on to take the World title in 2000, in Sint-Michielsgestel, Netherlands, coincidentally the venue of this weekend’s Dutch Championships. He also has eight Dutch championships to his name, three more than Boom; with his fifth consecutive title though, Boom has equalled the great Hennie Stamsnijder’s record.
Stamsnijder still holds the outright record with nine wins though, with Groenedaal on eight and Adrie van der Poel with six.
“I’m definitely better than I was a year ago,” said Boom, “I was sick on the Monday [last year] because the day before in the national championships I went deeper than I should have gone to get the title.”
Although Boom has committed his future to the road, he confirmed that he will return to the mud of cyclocross next year.
"I have really enjoyed training in the dunes behind the motorcycle and with my father,” he explained. “Last year was quite different; when I was in Spain in December and I thought: why should I train five hours a day."
Sadly for Boom’s cyclocross fans he is flying to Spain next week to start his specific road training, and will begin his racing season with a bid to win the prologue of the Tour of Qatar. The good news for them though, is that he will be back next year.