Joris Nieuwenhuis had to surrender to Tom Pidcock in Namur: "I tried to ride his wheel for a while, but I had to let go"
Cyclocross
Joris Nieuwenhuis recorded his first victory in the World Cup last week in Val di Sole and followed up that performance in Namur. The Dutchman finished third on top of the Citadel, behind Tom Pidcock and teammate Pim Ronhaar of Baloise Trek Lions. Speaking to In de Leiderstrui, Nieuwenhuis caught up afterwards to chat about last two weeks.
Nieuwenhuis said he did not get into the flow in Namur that he had in Merksplas, Boom or Val di Sole, the races he managed to win this winter. "It was tough anyway. I actually had a good start, after which I was seventh or eighth and was able to move up quite quickly. The two of us were in the lead quite quickly and I and Pim continued well, but I soon saw that Tom was getting closer."
Read also
Pidcock clearly rode at a different level, Nieuwenhuis also concluded. "I tried to ride his wheel for a while, but I quickly realized that I just had to go at my own pace." That was no surprise. "I knew he was going to be very good here. On circuits like this it becomes very difficult to beat someone like that, because he can use his power a lot more."
Nieuwenhuis was the first to admit that he had gotten the most out of it. "I didn't really feel great, I think I was suffering from a small cold. My nose was also a bit closed, so I was only breathing through my mouth," said the Baloise Trek Lions rider. "But other than that it was just fine, in terms of form it is of course still fine. But I didn't have that extra something that made me feel really good about it."
Read also

Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Yeah, what he said!Lozza15-11-2026
- I’m sure Jasper Philipsen would disagree with you.Lozza15-11-2026
- Article says he was “out for a spin around the town”, implying not off-road.Lozza15-11-2026
- let’s be honest, Alpecin is all about one rider - MVDP. I’m sure he gets whatever he needs, the rest get the scraps.mij15-11-2026
- there are more vicious injuries on a road bike than a mountain bike far and away.mij15-11-2026
- That'll be one crazy rider
Rafionain-Glas15-11-2026 - Many Europeans say that Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia are one of the most beautiful countries in Europe known for their stunning landscapes because of the Alp mountains, green forests, clean rivers and lakes, coastlines, and national parks.PogiSloFans15-11-2026
- Pogi=Baby Hulk=Smash !!!PogiSloFans15-11-2026
- I was in Maribor last summer (while spending time in Graz with family) but of course it was the day of independence and everything was shut. Sigh. Lovely walk on the river. (And yes, I’m Austrian and live in the US.)RidesHills15-11-2026
- Riding a mountain bike off road after his injuries is not very responsiblecaptmike15-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment










