Thibau Nys admits "I'm really struggling" amidst ongoing back issues

20-year-old Belgian, Baloise - Trek Lions rider Thibau Nys has admitted he's "really struggling" at the moment thanks to an ongoing back problem that threatens to wreck his cyclocross season.

After a promising start to the campaign, including a silver medal at the junior European Championships, Nys has recently seen top 10s harder to come by. "I'm not doing well." He admits. "I'm really struggling with myself at the moment. I'm going through the same thing again as two years ago, when I also struggled with my back. I'm not moving forward. I can no longer use my legs during the cross."

With such frustrations coming mid-way through the season it's even more disappointing Nys says, "My start to the season was very good, it is very confronting to see it collapse like this. I've been through this before, those back problems, and I know how hard it is to recover. It will work out in the end, but it is difficult to rectify this in the middle of the season.”

A pre-planned three-week break for Nys allows him and his body an opportunity to rest and recuperate before his expected return to the crosses at the Exact Cross in Mol on December 23rd. “The good thing is that I won't be racing for three weeks now. That was already planned in advance, by the way," Nys says. "I am now taking a few days of rest and I have a goal in the coming weeks: to solve the problem in my back by working intensively on it."