Joris Nieuwenhuis in stellar form on cyclocross return: "This doesn't mean I'll be good all season, but it's a mental boost"
Cyclocross
Joris Nieuwenhuis was one of the brightest prospects coming up the ranks over the late 2010's in cyclocross, but has made the move - as several others - to the road with Team DSM over the last few years. He is returning to a full-time Cyclocross schedule with Baloise - Trek Lions this year, and has kicked off the season with great form.
Talking to Wielerstory.com after this Sunday's race in Maasmechelen, Nieuwenhuis said that “I was lucky that it stayed together for a very long time. I decided to ride my own course. I managed to find a very good focus and I kept it for a long time.” His debut with the Belgian team was at the Nacht van Woerden where he finished in fifth place, but his race in the World Cup race was rather impressive.
Read also
Having started towards the back due to his reduced CX calendar over the last few years, the Dutchman - now 26 years old - has ridden through the field and was inside the fight for the podium inside the final half of the race. “I always took a little distance from the obstacles so that I could get over them quickly. I caught up at the right times. Because everyone was close together, I suddenly rode in front," he continued.
He was in a group with Kevin Kuhn, Michael Vanthourenhout and Niels Vandeputte when the race-winning moves went off, however a puncture has taken away what would be his best result in years at the World Cup. "Unfortunately at the end I ran flat in the front. I had to keep riding on the rim for a long time and my race was over. The focus was then completely gone. All in all, I have been happy for a long time that I am in such good shape and that I am starting my season this way," he said, having finished in 11th place.
Read also
Having signed for Baloise - Trek Lions, in the absence of Toon Aerts, Nieuwenhuis will have more room to develop and focus on the season, with still several months left of racing. “I came to this squad to work with Paul [Van den Bossch, team coach]. Now I'm in a group where everyone has a lot of experience. Sven Nys is the greatest cyclo-cross rider ever," the Dutchman added. "If you can get so many tips and tricks from that, then you will automatically ride well.”
“If I see that I can do this now, maybe there is more to it. One swallow does not make summer, of course. This doesn't mean I'll be good all season, but it's a mental boost," he concluded. Nieuwenhuis has been selected to ride the European Championships for the Netherlands, but will not be in action today at the Koppenbergcross.
Read also

Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - 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
Loading
🦁 Joris Nieuwenhuis will make his debut for our team tonight in 🇳🇱 Nacht van Woerden! Also title defender 🦁 @larsvanderhaar will line up 🔥
Write a comment













