Lars van der Haar shares his experiences of suffering from coronavirus
The cyclocross star spent six weeks off the bike after falling ill
Lars van der Haar has shared his experiences after falling ill with coronavirus.
The Dutch cyclocross and road racer became unwell after returning home from a skiing trip following the close of his cyclocross season, and he quickly realised it was Covid-19.
After suffering from fatigue, Van der Haar then developed a fever and said his lunges began to burn when breathing.
The 28-year-old spent six weeks off the bike as his symptoms continued, saying he was worried for his health.
Telenet-Baloise rider Van der Haar told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad: “Still I had lung pain for two weeks and at some point I noticed that my sense of smell and taste were gone."
“When I started training again, I did not cycle for more than two hours in two weeks. At a low intensity, to make sure those lungs had time to recover.”
But Van der Haar is now back to intensive training and says he’s happy with his form, as he competed in the GP Vermarc Sport Kermesse in Belgium over the weekend.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Coronavirus first hit the pro peloton back in March at the UAE Tour, as the race was abandoned due to the illness and three riders later tested positive.
Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) confirmed he was one of the riders that had contracted the virus, as he was kept under quarantine in the Emirates before being released in late March.
His lead-out rider Max Richeze was also diagnosed along with coronavirus at the race, along with Dmitry Strakhov from Gazprom-RusvVelo.
The racing calendar was suspended by the UCI not long after the UAE Tour, as the coronavirus crisis worsened.
>>> Richie Porte and Romain Bardet among the star line-up racing Mont Ventoux one-day race
But racing is now expected to return in the next few weeks, with Strade Bianche set to be the first WorldTour race on August 1.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
‘There's no point to race for 50th place’: Peter Sagan explains why he’s a cycling esports ambassador but won’t compete
As a MyWhoosh ambassador, Sagan admires the sport’s evolution, but does he have the watts to compete with today’s virtual cycling stars?
By Christopher Schwenker Published
-
Rapha's loss, your gain: prices slashed sitewide amid profitability concerns
The British clothing brand unveils an almost unheard-of 25% discount across its entire product range
By Hannah Bussey Published
-
Pro cyclo-cross rider disqualified and fined after stomping on opponent's bike
Eli Iserbyt apologised for 'rage of anger' at event in Beringen
By Tom Davidson Published
-
‘I only live 10km away’ - Cameron Mason on the pressure of a home British Cyclo-cross Championships
Scotsman says he will look to try and ‘take the race on’ at Callendar Park in Falkirk
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock to race just 10 cyclo-cross events this season
Former world champion confirmed as skipping World Championships in February
By Adam Becket Published
-
The six cyclo-cross races where Wout van Aert will face Mathieu van der Poel this year
The great Dutch and Belgian rivals will clash first on 22 December
By Adam Becket Last updated
-
Opinion: Are ‘the big three’ of Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pidcock good for cyclo-cross?
They have been world champions for the last decade, but are yet to race yet this season. What's going on?
By Adam Becket Published
-
European Cyclo-cross Championships rescheduled due to stormy weather
Local authority in western France stops Saturday's planned races from happening; races rescheduled to Sunday
By Adam Becket Published
-
Five riders to watch in UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup opener in Waterloo, USA this weekend
Here's who we think will boss the cross in Waterloo on Sunday
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Watch: Cyclo-cross rider snaps dislocated finger back into place mid-race
Michael van den Ham said his finger was at "the grossest 45-degree angle"
By Tom Davidson Published