"I'm really confident in my chances of victory" - Thibau Nys aims to win under-23 Cyclocross World Championships

The Cyclocross World Championships are just around the corner, and Thibau Nys has put himself perhaps in the position of man to beat for the men's under-23 race, he himself admits.

"I'm really confident, I'm one of the big favourites. I'm going to the world championships in the best possible shape," Nys told Wielerflits. "The last three weeks have been perfect, I've had the best preparation possible and I have the best feeling possible. I'm really confident in my chances of victory."

At under-23 level, Nys won the four World Cup races he took part in, in Tabor, Maasmechelen, Zonhoven and Benidorm, aswell as finishing second at the European Championships. Although he hasn't found the perfect consistency yet, the results have been shown more this year as he won the World Cup at his level, and is now looking to win the World Championships.

"It doesn't doesn't mean it will be easy, there are a number of men very close behind me who also have the ability to win," he adds. Amongst them are Tibor Del Grosso, Emiel Verstrynge, Joran Wyseure and Jente Michels. It will be a field full of talent, but from which Nys will have confidence after what has been a successful season.

The national team factor doesn't usually play a big role, however part of the Belgian team Nys will be in a good position: "For me it's much more interesting, all these Belgians as favourites."

"I only see things in a positive way. The fewer countries there will be different at the front, the less tactical the race will be and that will certainly be to my advantage," he concluded.