“I don’t know what was wrong” – Thibau Nys distraught after Tour de France stage 7

Seven stages into the 2025 Tour de France, Thibau Nys is still waiting for his moment. The Lidl-Trek rider, riding his debut Tour, was dropped on the Mur de Bretagne and finished 94th, more than nine minutes behind Tadej Pogacar who stormed to win number 101 in emphatic fashion again.

“I suffered terribly,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws after crossing the line.

Since crashing hard on Stage 1, Nys has struggled to find any rhythm. His best result so far remains 53rd in Rouen, which is far below what many fans and experts in the Belgian media predicted would be the case. Expectations were high after he claimed bronze at the cyclocross world championships earlier this year, but the Tour has offered little reward.

“It’s a shame I couldn’t contribute anything to the team. I don’t know what was wrong. It’s a real shame. I’ve been sidelined today. I can’t process this.”

Nys had tried to keep the pressure low before the race began, but after another disappointing day, he admitted the motivation is gone. For now, the 2025 Tour is serving as a brutal introduction to life at the top level, and perhaps is a rude awakening for the young star.