"If I’m in the right place, on a course like this, I can finish it" - Thibau Nys reacts to brilliant World Cup Benidorm win

Thibau Nys claimed an impressive victory at the World Cup Benidorm, beating Eli Iserbyt, who finished second, and Lars van der Haar, who completed the podium in third place. Meanwhile, Wout van Aert, who struggled to recover from a poor start, finished in fourth.

Nys, already the Belgian and European champion, executed a flawless race in Spain. Speaking to Wielerflits after his win, Nys reflected on how the race unfolded and the key moments that led to his triumph.

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“I had the right legs at the right time,” Nys said, attributing his success to well-timed efforts and a solid strategy. “Wout van Aert missed his start, because he had to start from a far row. And at the front, it never stopped, which made it difficult for him to come back. And I think we benefited from that in the final.”

He elaborated on the decisive moments of the race, saying, “Everyone knows that you have to go full throttle on the last climb. That kind of effort suits me well. If I’m in the right place, on a course like this, I can finish it.”

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Nys also revealed how his tactical approach played a role in securing the win. “I wanted to give Eli a small gap, so that he would already start the attack. Then I went when I had to go. And I was able to continue until the end. I rate this victory highly. Of course, when you have already won two championships, that is difficult. But it is a very nice victory, which I will always remember.”

The course itself played to Nys’ strengths, as he explained: “I know that this is a race that I can handle very well in terms of effort. It is a bit of a combination of the European Championships and Beringen, those types of races. That suits me.”

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Nys also commented on the dynamic of racing alongside a favourite like Wout van Aert. “When Wout is in a race, people are always looking at him. Everyone thinks: he will come, he will come. But at some point, you also have to start riding your own race. When we were in the last material post, it was mentally the click for me: now I have to continue. Because I am not going to keep taking him into account.”

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