“I do not want to be that kind of crosser” – Thibau Nys reflects on second place behind Mathieu van der Poel and his season so far
Cyclocross
Thibau Nys delivered an impressive performance on Sunday,
finishing second to Mathieu van der Poel. The Baloise - Trek Lions rider was
unable to match Van der Poel’s incredible power and skill but was the best of
the rest. Speaking to In de Leiderstrui, Nys provided insight into his
current form and the challenges he’s facing in cyclocross.
"We're in a process. I notice that I'm not ready for it
if it's very cross-specific," Nys explained. "I can handle the rhythm
changes, but not the cross breaks. In Hulst we had to get off every fifty
meters and it was climbing, sliding and so on. I keep bumping into that a bit.
But in Zonhoven it was a lap for the big bikes again and then I can convert my
power into speed. Then you see the difference immediately. But okay, I'm not
satisfied with that conclusion. That needs to be worked on."
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Reflecting on his performance, Nys added, "I had a good
day, but it wasn't spectacular. I wasn't super, super good, but I could do the
thing I'm good at at the moment. The last few weeks I've felt super strong, but
not tuned up well enough to ride crosses like Hulst. That's a problem."
Despite the challenges, the second place behind Van der Poel
carried significant meaning for Nys. "It's nice, but mainly because it
feels good that I'm playing a significant role and that I'm at my level. In
recent weeks, that was a bit disappointing, partly due to bad luck. Food for
thought may be an exaggeration, but we learn every day. I have to work more
cross-specifically. In Spain, I had one of my best weeks of training, I was
flying around there."
Looking ahead, Nys hopes to make improvements during the
upcoming busy period. "I hope I can grow into it a bit during the races,
because it is difficult to really restore that fact during this busy Christmas
period," he shared. "In Diegem and Baal my power will probably be
more evident, but I also have to be able to do Hulst. And I was not ready for
that and I am even a bit ashamed of it, compared to myself. That is the essence
of cross, something I used to be best at. I have lost those qualities, but I do
not want to evolve into a road racer who can only occasionally use his power in
cross. I do not want to grow into that, I do not want to be that kind of
crosser."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
- That is a very lazy way of putting it but so far on this website it seems like everyone is happy to look at everything lazily, even things that annoy them intensely. All they want to do is state their feeling and position but ask most to analyse a problem or come up with solutions or improvements and you’re stunned by silence. Nobody even really knows how this all happens. It’s very simple and quick to just say the UCI did it but I bet you they didn’t, I bet you not more than 2 people were involved, more likely just 1. The UCI may be ultimately responsible but it is not their decision, this is about hierarchy, power and delegation. The fact that protest is possible also means it isn’t over and that MORE people could get involved for a thorough review which could throw up anything. It is highly likely it was a sole commissar who decided and has that power in a first round. Therein might lie the problem the UCI has to consider, is it acceptable to give so much authority to one single person when it is quite possible for them to have a natural bias or be too easily susceptible to imposed bias. Who is to say an individual in this position isn’t susceptible to collaboration with outside players with interests in the results, nations, families, teams, betting companies, etc. On the one hand we have sports where these problems have been worked on way more to reduce such problems, on the other hand we have sports with far stricter and more draconian rules not even concerning safety or obstruction that nobody really questions like false starts or stepping out of lane or zones in athletics. If cycling hastowork on itself, it would be good if protagonists (all kinds) would start doing a little more than just moaning over outcomes.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- What a race! I didn't expect Vanthourenhout to collapse like that, and Wyseure did take the fight to Nys, but there was no doubt at the end. I also wonder what Aubin Sparfel would be capable of were he to race in the elites now. In the U23 ranks he is making good work of Giel Lejeune, who himself is among the better riders in the elites, and a top 10 contender in the big races (3rd at Kleebergcross, 8th at Berencross and 5th at Heerderstrand). In the French Cup, Sparfel is significantly better than Romain Debord (8th at Koppenbergcross and 10th at the Euros) and Rémi Lelandais (12th at Koppenbergcross and 19th at the Euros).
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling forRafionain-Glas08-11-2026
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