“I haven't touched my bike” – Thibau Nys admits exhaustions and ends road season for 2025

Thibau Nys has closed the book on his 2025 road season, explaining through Instagram that he skipped the Canadian WorldTour races to prioritise his recovery and prepare for a winter return to cyclocross. For the Belgian, the decision was painful but necessary after a year spent juggling both disciplines at the highest level.

"Those two races in Canada were two of my biggest goals of the year. I pushed my body, but I also have to think about what's yet to come. It does hurt not to be there, even though it was time to put the brakes on," Nys admitted on social media.

The Lidl-Trek rider looked back on 2025 as a campaign that started brightly on the road. "I got off to a flying start with a win in the GP Indurain and had a promising first experience with the Ardennes classics. That was satisfying: raising my level and performing at my best."

Success came with a cost, however, as the relentless shift between road and cyclocross took its toll. "For me, it was normal to work hard and perform at a high level. Year after year, I've been able to raise the bar, until now. The constant switching between the field and the road has taken its toll."

The last stretch of the season proved especially draining. "The last few months have been tough," Nys said. "And it's been a long time since I've had more than seven days of rest in a row, precisely because I love both worlds so much."

After a cyclocross winter where he won the European title, claimed a World Cup race, and finished third at the World Championships behind Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, Nys transitioned seamlessly to the road. His victory at the GP Miguel Induráin and his Tour de France debut confirmed his rising profile. Yet the effort left him depleted.

"But slowly I felt like a shadow of my former self. I could no longer hurt myself during training and I recovered more slowly from exertion." To break that cycle, he stepped away entirely. "For the past two weeks, I haven't touched my bike. To reset my mind and body. I've eaten delicious food, visited family and friends, and also just done nothing for once."

With a pause finally behind him, Nys signaled optimism about what comes next. “Now I'm ready to slowly build back up and find the best version of myself.”