"It was beautiful. I enjoyed it from start to finish" - Thibau Nys continues winning roll at Rapencross Lokeren

Thibau Nys is a man on a roll at the moment. After securing a first major title last time out at the European Championships, the Baloise - Trek Lions star has now powered to a dominant victory on Sunday afternoon at the Rapencross Lokeren.

In his first race wearing the European champion's jersey, Nys sent a real message to his rivals by storming clear of the likes of Niels Vandeputte, Jente Michels and Lars van der Haar among others, whilst Eli Iserbyt's chances were ruined by a mid-race crash.

“This was great. On the second lap I got some space, but then I had to get into it. It was wise not to push the gas full on there, but to let myself slide back with the other guys," Nys reflected in his post-race interview afterwards. "Eli's fall was the moment to open the gas. My technique and my legs finally got into rhythm. It loosened up, and then I had to keep riding.”

"It was a matter of sprinting full throttle up the climbs, and I had to make no mistakes. It is a cross where you have to stay focused. I was only sure after the last descent," he adds. “My back started to tire. It was beautiful. I enjoyed it from start to finish, but it was also exhausting. Every victory is important to me. Not because I ride in this jersey, but it always means a lot. We do and leave everything for that.”