"I feel my confidence growing” – Thibau Nys sees opportunities at the Tour de France

Thibau Nys has had a low profile start to his first Tour de France, and the early crash he was involved in offers some explanation for his subdued showing so far. The 22-year-old from Lidl-Trek rolled across the line in 155th place during Wednesday’s time trial in Caen, suggesting he took a conservative approach over the 33-kilometer course won by Remco Evenepoel.

"In the time trial, it was mainly important for me to find the balance between getting some rest and not starting too relaxed," Nys said afterward. "It always hurts a little then, but it's okay."

Lidl-Trek came close to a stage win on day three, when Jonathan Milan was just edged out by Tim Merlier. Despite dominating the Giro d’Italia earlier this season, the American team is still looking for its first Tour stage victory.

"You have to keep your body going, but also recover a bit from the past few days. And I think I did that perfectly. Physically, I've made a big step forward compared to the first two stages, and in terms of positioning, I still need to improve a bit," Nys said. "I feel my confidence growing, and that's positive. I needed it a bit, and it's going well."

Looking ahead, he’s paying attention to stage details. "I need to look at it in detail again, but I know the finish is on a steep bend. It will be crucial to get there as fresh as possible and be in a good position."

Nys acknowledged the challenge riders like Tadej Pogacar present on uphill finishes: "I think it's going to be really difficult there. If Tadej Pogacar goes wild there, no one will be able to keep up. It's a bit too long for that, that effort," he said. “This is where I let you go. With trial and error. From here on, you have to go."