Thibau Nys and Laurens Sweeck react to mixing it with the big two Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert: “I was a bit overwhelmed that I was suddenly there"
Cyclocross
Thibau Nys and Laurens Sweeck delivered strong performances
at the Azencross Loenhout, securing second and third places respectively behind
the dominant Mathieu van der Poel. The duo managed to beat Wout van Aert to
complete the podium.
European champion Nys earned his second-place finish by
outsprinting Sweeck in the closing stages, despite a challenging start to the
race. Speaking to Wielerflits, Nys explained the early setback he faced.
“I got [a flat tire] in the middle of the first lap. I didn't lose much time,
but I did lose the connection with the head of the race. After that I actually
had to chase the whole time, I was never really with it. Fortunately I had a
good companion in Wout van Aert.”
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Reflecting on his result, Nys acknowledged his limitations
on the day. “Second was definitely the highest I could achieve today. I feel
that I am physically at my best, like at the European Championships and in
Overijse. It just depends on the course where I perform best. I am really
looking forward to Diegem myself. I also want to try to follow Mathieu van der
Poel in one of the next races.”
For Laurens Sweeck, the podium finish came as a bit of a
surprise. “I was a bit overwhelmed that I was suddenly there,” Sweeck admitted.
“I actually just rode a good passage in front of the washboard, it wasn't
necessarily the intention.”
The two riders will be hoping to more regularly compete with the sports biggest riders in the near future. Of course, Van der Poel still appears several levels ahead of everyone, but maybe Van Aert may be more in reach for the likes of Nys and Sweeck. Van Aert was only racing his first cross of the season today, and has struggled with injuries in 2024, so will get better as the season goes on.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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