"I won't be discouraged by him": Thibau Nys not afraid to take on Tadej Pogacar at World Championships
Cycling
Thibau Nys’s season has taken an unexpected turn after recent knee surgery, but his ambitions remain intact. The Lidl-Trek rider, forced to stop for several weeks, is already looking beyond recovery to one of the calendar’s biggest targets: the 2026 Montreal World Championships, where Tadej Pogacar will chase a third consecutive rainbow jersey.
Nys underwent surgery in mid-March for iliotibial band friction syndrome in his left knee, ruling him out for around three and a half weeks. The setback takes him out of the Ardennes Classics and seriously compromises his presence at other major spring appointments.
The Belgian did not hide his frustration at missing some of the year’s key races, especially those that suit his profile. His programme was already constrained, as he was not in the team’s plans for the Tour de France, where names like Juan Ayuso, Mads Pedersen, Giulio Ciccone, and Mathias Vacek headline the German team's selection.
Refusing to dwell on the setback, Nys has reset his goals and is targeting the European championships in Slovenia and, above all, the Worlds in Montreal. He made it clear in comments to WielerFlits: "I definitely have ambitions for both races."
The Worlds route, he’s been told, fits his characteristics well, which adds fuel to his motivation.
"But everything can be irrelevant with Tadej Pogacar on the start line," the Belgian sighs.
Even so, Nys won’t shy from the presented challenge: "I won’t be discouraged if Tadej is on the start. So it’s very possible I’ll set my sights on racing the Worlds in Canada."
Ambition with feet on the ground
At 23, Nys is clear he wants to measure himself against the WorldTour elite, without drifting into bravado. His focus is not only Pogacar, but also riders like Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel.
"I think I can compete with them. But I’m also very realistic and I’m not going to claim I’ll beat them."
The Belgian trusts his trajectory, especially in races like the Ardennes, where he believes he can make a significant step in the coming years.
Between road and cyclocross
Nys also left the door open to rethink his career if the expected progression on the road does not materialise: "If I didn’t have that impression, or if I no longer had it in the future, my career could take a different path."
In that sense, cyclocross remains a real alternative. For now, his head and heart pull in different directions: while he admits La Flèche Wallonne suits him better, his ambition pushes him to dream of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
"And yes, against Pogacar. In my opinion, the best of all time. The edge he has in this era is simply incredible."
Tadej Pogacar attacks at Milano–Sanremo 2026 with Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel on his wheel
Long-term dreams
Looking beyond the present, Nys won’t give up on big goals. A race he dreamed of as a child also reappears on the horizon: the Tour of Flanders.
For now, his attributes point elsewhere, but the Belgian rules nothing out in the future. His season has been derailed, yet his ambition holds firm: to race the best… and one day, try to beat them.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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