“I can’t stand that arrogance” - Sven Nys fumes at son Thibau’s tactics before dramatic Koppenbergcross victory
Cyclocross
Sven Nys criticised his son’s decision to sit towards the back of the leading group during Sunday’s Koppenbergcross, arguing that Thibau had left himself vulnerable to crashes ahead. The Belgian champion recovered from two falls to win his opening cyclocross race of the season.
“You don’t do that. I can’t stand that arrogance,” Sven said in footage broadcast by Sporza’s Sportweekend as he watched from the pits.
Victor Van de Putte had set the early pace, with Thibau among the leading riders. One fall for Van de Putte initially delayed him; a separate incident then brought Thibau down when he could not avoid the sliding rider. He had to straighten his handlebars before continuing.
“He wanted to sit towards the back of a bigger group and see how things developed,” Sven explained. “That’s always a risk if someone crashes. To some extent, you’re bringing it on yourself.”
Michael Vanthourenhout subsequently broke clear, leaving Thibau chasing from 25 seconds behind. The defending Koppenbergcross champion reduced that deficit to nine seconds, only to crash again and require another handlebar adjustment.
Victory on the final climb
Sven had won the Koppenbergcross nine times himself. From the pits, he watched his son recover once more, catching Vanthourenhout ahead of the final lap after a bike change and a renewed pursuit.
The pair repeatedly exchanged the lead before Vanthourenhout reached the final cobbled climb first and opened the sprint. Thibau came past and pulled clear, taking his third Koppenbergcross victory with seven seconds to spare.
Sven was smiling by the finish. “Yes, but it’s not healthy having your own children racing here. It’s bad for your voice and your heart,” he said hoarsely.
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For the second successive year, Thibau had won on his season debut at the Koppenberg. Vanthourenhout had arrived with four victories from five starts, including the previous weekend’s Superprestige opener in Overijse.
Both are selected for Belgium at the European Championships in Zeddam on Sunday 8 November. Thibau will seek to regain the title he won in 2024, while Vanthourenhout will pursue his third European crown.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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