Thibau Nys starts 2024 season at Tour of Romandie: "That absolute peak power cannot be far away"

Lidl-Trek have in Thibau Nys a diamond in the making. After full focus on the cyclocross season, the Belgian rider has taken rest and proper preparation for the road season, and begins it this Tuesday at the Tour de Romandie with a very explosive prologue where he can be among the favourites.

“I have now taken three weeks of rest without any spring races. The valley from which I have to climb is now much deeper. I have certainly had a very nice preparation, but it may not be in Romandie that I reap the benefits," Nys said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. A nice conclusion could be that after Romandie I will probably be further ahead than last year.  “I have the feeling that my explosiveness has diminished a bit after an altitude training period and many hours of endurance training. I won't say that I have doubts, but I would like confirmation: I can still do it in that area too. The line of what I could do as a newcomer or junior in peak values has not really been extended.”

With Baloise-Trek Lions, he experienced a breakthrough CX season where he won his first race as an Elite, his first World Cup and several other achievements. He then took his rest, built a base and went on an altitude training camp this April in anticipation of his return to racing, which will be rather busy over the coming months. “My twenty and ten minute values are much better. And in December I pedaled my best five-second value ever," he tells. "That absolute peak power cannot be far away either.”

Initially, he had plans of making his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d'Italia. But he and the team changed plans when addressing his overall preparation better. “That could also ruin my season," he feared. "I am happy with the program that I will be riding in the coming weeks: Eschborn-Frankfurt, the Tour of Hungary, the Tour of Norway, the Canton Argau GP. All competitions where there are opportunities for me.”