Pim Ronhaar adamant after World Cup race in Dublin: "I should have won this race"

The World Cup cross in Dublin, Ireland, turned into a game of six on Sunday, lasting until the final lap. Pim Ronhaar, last year's winner in Dublin, was among them. The Dutch rider of Baloise Trek Lions finished sixth and was very disappointed. "I was a fool," he told IDLProCycling.com after the race.

It was a hard blow for Ronhaar, who started the cyclo-cross winter at a disadvantage due to Lyme disease. "I should have won this race," was the first thing he said to us after the finish in the Irish capital. "It's my fault. I was a fool."

Can you explain that? "I was too slow in the last two laps, and the moment I'm in position four or five for a moment, Eli (Iserbyt, ed.) spots it. And he accelerates for two laps. I ride as fast as Eli but don't get any closer. If I'm in position there, in those last two laps, then I win that race," the strong young man from Hellendoorn recalled.

Read more below the photo. 

Ronhaar disappointed: "I knew what I had to do"

So, Ronhaar was unable to advance from positions four and five. "I could release my power, but I rode as hard as the leaders. I then messed up that last mud section. If I'm in second or third position there and can emerge from it with speed, then you win. Like Michael (Vanthourenhout, ed.) did. Everyone knew that, but I was just too slow today."

"You still hope for a moment, but it's a lap where you must get in front as late as possible. I felt powerful the whole race and had the impression I had everything under control,' said the disappointed Ronhaar, who thus felt that more was in the tank. 'I knew what I had to do; Sven (Nys, ed.) also shouted that I had to sit in second position in the last lap. But yes, it was too late. Stupid."

"The feeling is good, and I'm competing until the end. Week by week, it's improving, and if there will be a real mud cross soon, I'll be competing for the win," concluded the motivated Ronhaar.

Read also

Michael Vanthourenhout triumphs in thrilling final lap in Dublin, Nys crashes hard in first lap

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