Thibau Nys on the rise after breakthrough result - "You do indeed have to slow him down every now and then"

Belgian is seeing the rise of another start as Thibau Nys is quickly becoming one of the most promising riders in the under-23 ranks on the road. Coming from a cycling family, he has from very young followed the steps to become a pro, and as his dad Sven Nys explains, he's well on his way.

"Thibau is currently investing a lot in its position on the time trial bike... He has worked on his position and is much more aerodynamic than last year," his father - and cyclocross legend - Sven Nys said. This comes as a similarity to Remco Evenepoel, who has also developed his aerodynamical stance ever since his junior years and has taken great benefits from that capacity. 

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He's detailed, in an interview with Sporza, Thibau Nys' attention to detail and how it plays a role into his development as a road rider. After becoming European under-23 champion last year at the age of 18, it became clear that the Belgian rider was not only an upcoming start on the cyclocross tracks.

"His passion goes further than just trying to finish his training sessions as well as possible. Those details are about the bike, about nutrition, about tactics and course knowledge. Everything really," Sven further detailed. "He's only going to be 19 years old and he can't skip any steps. You do indeed have to slow him down every now and then and make him realize that he is still only 19 years old and still has a lot of steps to take."

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Thibau Nys has finished third at this weekend's Antwerp Port Epic, behind Florian and Gianni Vermeersch. His talent for the classics seems apparent, with the cobbles and dirt sector-including races likely the days that suit him the most at the time being.

"In a second phase he wants to try for the first time to finish a long-term race with the Tour of the Future - if he is selected, of course. Then he can test what is possible," he said.