Niels Albert expects better results from Thibau Nys: "Mathieu van der Poel was already world champion at that age"

Cyclocross, as is the case with road cycling, is witnessing the rise of a new talented generation. However with the likes of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert having set the standards, and still racing at the highest level, it sees a few figures put pressure on the youngsters to perform before they come back to racing. Discipline legend Niels Albert speaks on Thibau Nys.

"It's a bit all or nothing with Thibau Nys. He often rides on killer instinct, but just as often he lets it slide. It has now been the Koppenbergcross since he won his last cross," Niels Albert told Het Laatste Nieuws. "He gave up in Pontchâteau, was 27th in Niel, seventh in Troyes and now sixth in Dublin. Thibau has started the season very strongly, with victories in Beringen and Waterloo. Since then it has been up and down."

It's the inconsistency that Nys has had in his under-23 years. His talent is more than obvious and he's already taken very big and meaningful wins this winter. His father Sven Nys and Baloise - Trek Lions don't put the pressure for him to perform; for the time being he seeks consistency. There may be an obstacle to that currently: "After the cross on Sunday in Dublin, he indicated that he was having back problems. That's new to me. I could be wrong, but I don't know Thibau as someone who looks for excuses. If something bothers him, he says so."

"But it is also typical of cyclists. Then you hear that they have a sore back, but Thibau rode fast in the first four laps. That was a pace at which he tried to put the course in a definitive shape. Just like he had done once on the Koppenberg. When you race at a high level like Thibau, your back hurts. The question is: what is pain and where is the limit? It wasn't that bad when you finished sixth in Dublin like him. Maybe he's just having a bad period."

It's still early in the season to know how far the Belgian will go, and if he will still recover his best legs in time to take more wins this season. However, it is proving complicated in the last few weeks - although the team as a whole has performed greatly, with Lars van der Haar, Pim Ronhaar and Joris Nieuwenhuis all taking high-level victories. "Because expectations are high. Nys is expected to race, compete and compete for prizes. And that is right. Because he has talent, he is a good athlete and he has everything to become a very good rider," Albert continues.

"Age is no problem. He just turned 21. Mathieu van der Poel was already world champion at that age. Sven Nys, myself, Zdenek Stybar, Lars Boom, we were all there at that age. Next week in Essen, Wout van Aert will make his debut in cross country. Mathieu van der Poel will also join us on December 22 in Mol. And then Tom Pidcock will undoubtedly be a cross rider again. Then it will be much more difficult for Nys to win another cross. More difficult than against the riders he is currently competing against."