Somewhat surprisingly, home crowd hero
Felipe Orts emerged as Nys' biggest challenger, pushing the young Belgian all the way and eventually taking 2nd place ahead of Eli Iserbyt. “I had complete control when I took the lead and I had the best companion in Felipe (Orts),” says Nys, full of praise for the Spaniard. "I knew he would be ready for this championship and I knew he would go all out. This was really a goal for him. We understood each other perfectly and we went all out together. It was really 100 percent perfect."
With plenty of the cyclocross season still to go, Nys now has the added impetus of donning the European jersey. "I can now just race in this jersey. I am speechless for a moment," he concludes with a smile.