"I think everyone in the peloton is happy to see him take this win" - Thibau Nys pays heartfelt tribute to Amstel Gold Race winner Mattias Skjelmose

Although he may have been considered one of the dark horses ahead of the 2025 Amstel Gold Race, not many would have realistically expected Mattias Skjelmose to take the win this Sunday afternoon in the Netherlands. That is exactly what the Dane did however, denying Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel in a thrilling three-up sprint for victory.

One of those most delighted to see Skjelmose prevail was the Dane's Lidl-Trek teammate, Thibau Nys. The Belgian had been fancied by some as a bit of dark horse but eventually had to settle for 12th at the line - 49 seconds down on his race-winning teammate. “The moment Mattias attacked on the Keutenberg, I could already see how incredibly strong he was,” Nys reflected afterwards with delight. “Mattias is just a fantastic guy - 100% dedicated to his craft. I think everyone in the peloton is happy to see him take this win.”

As for his own performance, Nys was left a little bit with mixed emotions, having missed out on the fight for the podium himself. “I was a bit too far back when Pogacar went,” Nys admitted. “I was really frustrated at that moment, because I still had really good legs."

“In the final 10 kilometres, I started to fade a bit. I could still ride hard, but the punch was gone. I really felt that on the final climb up the Cauberg,” continued the Belgian. “I’m satisfied - it was good. It’s not like I surprised myself. I really enjoyed it. And I think I’ll be even better on Wednesday at La Flèche Wallonne.”