"If Thibau survives on such a tough course, I assume that Wout will survive as well" - Belgian coach explains the likely non-selection of Thibau Nys for Zurich Worlds
Cycling
The star of recent months, Thibau Nys has previously declared his no-plan to ride the World Championships in Zurich. According to the national coach Sven Vanthourenhout, such decision is only logical both; because of Nys' personal ambitions (in cyclocross) and the lack of experience in similar races.
"The door is not completely closed, but a selection will be difficult for Thibau," the national coach is clear at Het Laatste Nieuws. "I have already discussed that with him. Where should I put him in my selection? I already have Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert and Maxim Van Gils..."
"To play a role at the World Championships in Zurich, Thibau would have to try to survive in order to be able to ride a sprint. But if Thibau survives on such a tough course of 273 kilometers with 4,500 meters of elevation, I assume that Wout will survive as well. I would be surprised if Thibau climbs better than Wout on such a course."
"Thibau is a rider you only take with you as a leader. You can't ask him to ride at the front or to slip into a breakaway that tries to anticipate. You have to give him a pertinent place in the selection. Now he would take a place that I should actually keep free for riders who ride in the service of Remco, Wout and to a lesser extent Van Gils," Vanthourenhout believes.
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The 21-year-old Nys has already booked nine victories on the road this season and is therefore profiling himself as a multiple winner. "But we must not forget that a World Championship is a race of 270 kilometers, and that Thibau has no experience with that yet," according to the national coach.
"It's amazing what Thibau is doing. He's already a good rider and will become an even better rider. But to be able to ride the final at the World Championship, you have to have proven that a few times in a Monument or classic with the same distance."
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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