Thibau Nys "searching for its possibilities" as he thrives in Elite debut

“Thibau has the explosiveness and the winning mentality. Yet he is not André Greipel. It reached a peak power of 2,000 watts. Thibau won't touch that. But that doesn't change the fact that Thibau scores very well in the power/body weight ratio," his coach Paul Van Den Bosch told Het Laatste Nieuws.

The under-23 European champion had already surprised with a third place at the Antwerp Port Epic, however this past week he rode to a stage win and overall classification triumph at the five-day Flèche du Sud. His ascension on the road is currently sharp, and he is said to have power numbers to battle with the pros frequently.

Nys' coach continued: “He's only 19, a young 'boy' actually. In a few years he will weigh 69 or 70 kilos. Then he will also push a higher peak power. It's too early to say he's going to be a sprinter who will win 1.1 races or a bunch sprint in the Tour de France. First he will have to sprint against the big boys."

However which type of rider he can develop to be, that's still a question with no answer. And there is no rush to find the answer at the time being: “He rides well uphill, but he is not a top climber. He can sprint and time trial. He can cross and he is an acrobat on his bike. It is still a matter of searching for its possibilities and its limitations. It is important to focus on all parts. This gives us a good idea of ​​what he will really be able to do," van den Bosch concluded.