Thibau Nys notices his reputation within the peloton growing: "Maybe my status has changed a bit. They fight a bit more for my wheel than they used to"
Cycling
Thibau Nys' step up this year didn't exactly come out of nowhere. Those who followed the Belgian talent's story closely have seen glimpses of his full potential last year already, but it's only now he's slowly establishing himself as a feared stage hunter and a rider with great promise for (hilly) classics. At recent Tour de Suisse, the 21-year-old scored his only second stage victory at the WorldTour level, but the path leading up to his triumph wasn't exactly straightforward.
In an appetizer for Suisse, the GP Kantons Aargau (1.1), the Lidl-Trek rider went down quite hard in the final sprint. Did that bother him? Not really, Nys assured IDLProCycling. "Yes, it was tough. I knew the initial intensity after the fall in Gippingen could still cause pain, and my body was still having a hard time in that first stage. But on the other hand, I also knew that things could be different the next day. You shouldn’t dwell too much on what happened the day before," he states realistically.
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"It’s a new step. I see it as a situation I haven’t been in much before, so that’s nice," he refers to working for a leader like Mattias Skjelmose. "I get just as much satisfaction from helping the team as from going for my own success. All in all, it’s just fun to be on the road with such a good, motivated team."
Nys certainly enjoys racing alongside someone like Skjelmose, who ultimately finished third. "He’s one of the easiest leaders there is. You don’t have to worry about whether he’s on your wheel or not because he’s always there. He’s very dedicated to his craft."
Additionally, he shared a room with experienced Dutchman Bauke Mollema. "He’s someone with a lot of experience and a beautiful palmarès. If you can learn from riders like that, you’ll only perform better. Picking up little things from them is just fun."
Achieving immediate and continuous success in a race like Tour de Suisse wasn’t something Nys expected. "I still surprise myself quite often," he admits. "It’s nice to keep getting that confirmation that you’re doing well and to raise the bar even higher." He also notices that the peloton now looks at him differently. "Maybe my status has changed a bit. They fight a bit more for my wheel than they used to, especially in finals like in Suisse, Gippingen or Norway."
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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MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
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- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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