"Give him the benefit of the doubt" - Could Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert be about to meet their match in Cyclocross?
Cyclocross
Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert have been warned that one Cyclocross rider could be set to rival their dominance on the discipline when either rider returns to the mud this winter.
Both van der Poel and van Aert have become accustomed to either decimating the competition or battling each other in Cyclocross for the best part of a decade. However, Thibau Nys made a statement comeback on Sunday as he won Koppenbergcross. Despite crashing twice, he recovered well to re-join the front and was able to win a dramatic uphill sprint to the line in Belgium.
It was Nys’ third Koppenbergcross victory, following his successes in 2023 and 2025, and the second successive year in which he had won here on his season debut.
Thibau, son of legendary Cyclocross rider Sven Nys, has been praised for his battling performance as he showed strong form despite his crashes and difficulty in a sand section during the race.
"A great story has been written here. It doesn't stop. It is full of treacherous pitfalls," Sporza analyst Paul Herygers said.
Thibau Nys wins Koppenbergcross 2026
Nys praised after Koppenbergcross victory
"And we are talking mainly about Thibau Nys, who pulls it all off, squeezes out a decent sprint, and wins on one leg, so to speak. That sand still needs to be straightened out. Maybe that will change. But uphill, he is almost at his peak. And that head... Normally, the fuse blows after having hit the ground twice. But apparently not with little Nys."
As Nys announced himself as the rider to beat heading deeper into the season, he could soon face van Aert. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider is yet to announce his schedule but has confirmed a return. It's likely that he will be back in action by late November or December ahead of the World Championships in February.
Van der Poel, however, has not confirmed that he'll return to the discipline over winter. He and his partner are expecting their first child in January and his status has been the source of speculation.
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"Give him the benefit of the doubt"
According to Sporza commentator Ruben Van Gucht, both riders face a new challenger in Nys, who has been tipped to go toe-to-toe with van Aert and even fancied to give van der Poel a challenge to worry about.
"Normally, he should be able to duel with Van Aert in virtually every cyclo-cross race. Only in a cross-country race is he out of the picture; then Van Aert is the undisputed master. Purely in terms of cyclocross technique, he should duel every time. That is a man of name and fame," Van Gucht said.
"Against Van der Poel, who has to come and race against his will, that should also be possible. In that case, I would say: give him the benefit of the doubt."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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