Cyclocross specialist is one of the few riders disappointed with yesterday’s cancellation
Since his own spring Classics season finished in Paris-Roubaix, Rabobank’s Lars Boom has been resting up and training for the next phase of the season. The Dutchman has been spending some time in California, building up for the Amgen Tour and, while he’s disappointed that the weather forced the cancellation of stage one, the 25-year-old is not surprised at all.
“That’s what happens when you’re high up,” he said. “Then there’s always a chance; even here. We are at 2000 metres altitude, the weather is constantly changing, from sun to snow and back again. Last week it was beautiful here; we did some good training, in just a pair of shorts.”
As a former cyclocross World champion, and current Dutch champion, Boom is well used to racing on snow; he took his biggest win of the winter on the snow of Heusden-Zolder in the World Cup race on December 26th. Despite his own experience though, he reasons that cancellation of the stage was the sensible option.
“It was announced [that the stage was on], but it would be bad…” he said. “Then came the debates with, of course, the drama in the Giro [Wouter Weylandt’s death] in mind. Ultimately I think it was a good decision, but it is very unfortunate that the stage could not continue.
“This was a wonderful stage in a beautiful setting,” he added. “It was an absolutely joy here this week. I would have like to have raced, but it wasn’t to be.”
Resting up after the classics has allowed Boom a little time to take a small holiday; the Tour of California giving him the opportunity to visit some new places.
“I was here with my girlfriend and we enjoyed the beautiful surroundings,” he said. “We’d never been here together before, and then this race offered the opportunity. I could get out well around San Francisco; across the Golden Gate Bridge there is some good training, so I got some good riding in.
“Besides, I went to a few meetings with Rabobank America with Hennie Kuiper and Koos Moerenhout. It was very nice, although at the last meeting in Monterey I had some trouble with my knee; then I gave up.”
Thankfully though, Boom does not expect the knee to bother him when the racing starts.
“I don’t expect so,” he confirmed. “I immediately stopped when I started getting pain; then I got some treatment on Saturday and was able to train without any problems.
“The stage around the lake was ideal,” he added. “The intention was that I’d ride the first stage without doing too much and quietly see how far I could go. My confidence was really high; I feel really good.”
Following his break from racing, Boom is now looking towards building his form for the summer.
“This is where the second part of the season begins for me,” he said. “After the spring Classics three weeks ago I’ve had a little rest; my training intensity has now increased again. In California I found a nice rhythm.
“The national championship is my next big target. Tour? Nothing is decided right now; I need to discuss it with Adri van Houwelingen. This week is a matter of a quiet ride and see what happens. We have a great team here, I might want to try something.
“We have Oscar Freire and Michael Matthews,” he added, “who are both going well.”
Boom’s season began perfectly with victory in the prologue time trial of the Tour of Qatar; he was also a member of the Rabobank team that won the opening time trial of Tirreno-Adriatico. Following that, he rode strongly in the cobbled classics, with ninth in Gent-Wevelgem and twelfth in Paris-Roubaix the highlights.
“I’ve taken a big step, maybe not in results, but in feelings. In Roubaix, for example, I was very, very good, but shortly after the Forest of Wallers [Arenberg – ed] I got a puncture; otherwise I would have finished much higher. That day I felt very strong, that has given me confidence for the future.”
That future is tied, at least in part, to the Rabobank team, having recently signed a new contract with the Dutch team.
“For another three years,” he confirmed. “The feeling with the team is good; the leadership gives me a lot of confidence. Now comes perhaps the most important phase of my career. It gives me comfort that I have such a trusted base behind me.”