Thibau Nys set to "seize his own opportunity" as he continues fledgling career in 2023

Fresh off the back of claiming the under-23 Cyclocross World Championship in Hoogerheide, Thibau Nys's attention turns to the road as he attempts to find his place in the peloton.

"2023 will be a journey of discovery for Thibau on the road," says the Trek - Segafredo rider's father, Sven Nys. "Thibau is fast, but is he also fast enough in flat sprints? I know that Thibau likes time trials. The shorter the time trial, the better for him. We often see that with riders who are explosive. Thibau has also invested in his time trial in the past year."

Still only 20 years old there is certainly no rush for the young Belgian to define himself as a certain type of rider and with more and more riders nowadays proving it is possible to make a major impact on both the road and the crosses, Nys senior is determined to allow his son to enjoy the freedom he has.

"Whether Thibau can grow into that type of rider? To be honest, I think there are only 2 riders of that calibre in the world," Sven Nys said, comparing his son to the likes of Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel. "Thibau (20) is still too young for the classics. He still lacks volume, strength and experience. But with his explosiveness, he might mean something in the classics in the future."