"Other riders feel a bit jealous of Thibau Nys" – Bart Wellens warns of rising resentment as Belgian champion dominates cyclocross headlines

Thibau Nys is winning races, shaping trends, and grabbing headlines — and according to former cyclocross world champion Bart Wellens, that mix of performance and personality is creating a ripple of envy elsewhere in the cyclocross peloton.

Speaking after Nys’s latest dominant outing in Tabor, Wellens didn’t shy away from the growing undercurrent around the Belgian national champion.

“I understand that other riders sometimes feel a bit jealous of Thibau,” he told Het Nieuwsblad, suggesting that the tension is rooted as much in visibility as it is in results.

Wellens believes the explanation is simple: Nys stands out, both on the bike and in the way he carries himself. From his bold kit choices and distinctive tattoos to the nostalgic tribute to his father Sven Nys with that green helmet and orange glasses in Tabor, Nys has become one of the most recognisable figures in the sport. That profile — and the attention it brings — is not universally welcomed in the bunch.

What others may consider showmanship, Wellens frames as crucial for the sport’s long-term health. “It’s up to the others to present themselves in the same way,” he argued, noting that Nys and his camp understand perfectly how to keep him in the spotlight. He even pointed to how, after Sunday’s race, the first four cyclocross stories on Sporza’s site were all about Nys — precisely the kind of exposure riders dream of.

And for Wellens, this is exactly why Nys is indispensable right now. “I said before the season: it’s riders like Nys who we need to keep the cross hot,” he continued.

The alternative, in his view, is a discipline dominated by low-profile winners who say little, do little, and struggle to capture public imagination. “What do you write about? Someone like him — not a dry rider who turns up, wins, and then says or does nothing. That’s no use to us.”

Crucially, Wellens stressed that Nys backs up his image with elite performance. “To perform that well and then have that kind of attitude — it’s incredibly impressive,” he said.

For him, the blend of swagger, branding, and hard results is not arrogance but added value: the modern version of a rider who understands that professional sport extends beyond watts alone.

As Nys continues to dominate the headlines — and the races — Wellens expects the jealousy to linger, perhaps even grow. But in his eyes, that reaction only underlines the power of Nys’s presence within the sport. Cyclocross, he argues, needs characters, not just champions. And right now, Nys is firmly both.