Sven Nys disagrees with statements that gravel will replace cyclocross in near future: "There are huge audiences along the course and enough sponsors interested in the sport"

Jan Bakelants caused quite a stir last week by stating that gravel will marginalize cyclocross. Sven Nys, manager of team Baloise - Trek Lions naturally didn't quite like to read those statements.

Nys presented his cyclocross team lineup for 2024/25 winter, lead by Nys' son Thibau and Lucinda Brand, this Wednesday. In a subsequent interview with Wielerflits, the two-time world champion responded to Bakelants' suggestion that the advent of gravel will overshadow cyclocross in not so far future.

"Cyclo-crossing is a spectator sport. Gravel is a hands-on sport. Gravel is an added value for cycling in general. But it is absolutely not the case that gravel will take the place of cyclo-crossing. In less than 100 years!"

Nys also has no doubts about the rather unbalanced economic model of cyclocross. "There are still enough companies that are interested in our sport," he assures, maybe more himself than the interviewer.

"There is 90 percent live visibility on television. In certain periods, there are huge audiences along the course. Everyone wins. Of course, the top athletes in our sport are not always present at the moment, so that gives a somewhat distorted picture. But who can tell me that in 10 years' time there will not be real top crossers who traditionally cross from the beginning of October to the end of February?"