"He demands a lot of himself, but he's a real winner": Sven Nys confident the right approach will take Thibau to greatness
Cyclocross
The men's cyclocross season so far has a name and a surname: Thibau Nys. Although there have been more winners, such as Toon Aerts (European champion), the young Belgian rider's consistency, along with his two victories, are leading him to stardom. And he is doing so in a discipline that is still waiting for the returns of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert.
In an autumn where the results speak for themselves - victories at the Koppenberg and Hamme, silver at the European, top-15 at Lokeren and a solid seventh at Merksplas - Thibau Nys is moving forward at a pace that, for many, would border on perfection. For him, however, it's never enough. And that's where his father and sport director, Sven Nys, comes in.
The tension prior to the start in Hamme had an explanation. The day before, in Merksplas, the sand was too much for him. Sven explains it bluntly in an interview with Wielerflits:
"I think he rode a pretty good race there too, but technically, things went a bit haywire in the cross-country [running, ed.]. Physically, I think he's been in good shape these past few weeks, but when everything is so close together, it often comes down to the details. In Hamme, everything clicked," he began.
Those pesky sand pits...
A stark contrast to Merksplas where Nys finished only seventh after multiple mistakes and blow up in the final lap: "It was mainly the sand sections," Sven reassures. "We know he struggles more with them some days than others. In Merksplas, it was a mess almost every lap. That accumulates, and at some point, it starts to affect him mentally as well."
The recipe to make up for it is no secret; it is distilled experience.
Thibau Nys is one of the stars of the 2025/26 cyclocross season
Sven remembers his own dominant seasons: "How many of those races do you think I really had an amazing feeling in? Three or four at the most. We know sand is your weak point..... There's definitely still room for improvement, but it's no big deal."
Thibau Nys' differentiating factor
If there is one thing that sets Thibau apart, it is his ability to look at himself with a magnifying glass:
"It's typical of Thibau. He's always trying to analyze his races thoroughly.... He's very demanding of himself. But on the other hand, it's the right thing to do. Thibau is a real winner," continued Sven Nys.
Part of the irregular sensations can also be explained by the recent training load: more kilometers, more fatigue, less freshness. Something that can't be corrected with rest. That's why Sven is already looking ahead to Tabor World Cup with optimism: "Next week he'll have more time to rest, so I have high expectations.... It's a circuit that suits him like a glove."
Overall, the assessment is clear: "I think Thibau has become more stable... he's still fighting for the podium every weekend. He has a solid base. And if he can win a cyclocross race even if he's not feeling quite right, that offers great prospects for the rest of the season," he concluded.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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