Thibau Nys and Michael Vanthourenhout spearhead Belgian bid to retain European crown without injured Toon Aerts
Cyclocross
Thibau Nys and Michael Vanthourenhout will lead Belgium’s pursuit of another European cyclocross title in Zeddam on 8 November, with defending champion Toon Aerts sidelined through injury. National coach Angelo De Clercq has selected eight elite men, including last year’s silver and bronze medallists, Nys and Joran Wyseure.
Belgium swept the podium in Middelkerke in 2025. Aerts’ recovery from wrist and kneecap fractures sustained at the Tour of Denmark was complicated by an infection following knee surgery, requiring another operation. In his team’s update on 5 October, he had still not resumed cycling, although he retained hopes of reaching the home World Championships in Ostend.
Nys returns as Vanthourenhout builds winning momentum
Vanthourenhout heads towards Zeddam with four victories from his first five starts this season. Sunday’s solo success at Overijse followed wins in Germany, Dendermonde and Meulebeke. He will now pursue a third European title after winning in Namur in 2022 and Pontchateau in 2023.
Nys, who succeeded him as European champion in Pontevedra in 2024, has yet to begin his winter campaign. The Belgian champion is scheduled to return at the Koppenbergcross on 1 November, leaving just one planned race before his bid to improve on last year’s European silver.
De Clercq has also selected both riders who joined Vanthourenhout on the Overijse podium. Witse Meeussen finished second, ahead of reigning Superprestige series champion Niels Vandeputte.
Wyseure won in Heerde on Saturday, while Gerben Kuypers took victory in Ardooie earlier this month. Jente Michels, runner-up to Vanthourenhout in Meulebeke, is also selected, having missed Overijse through stomach problems. Laurens Sweeck completes the eight-man squad.
The full men’s selection and reserves, as announced by Belgian Cycling:
| Rider | Selection status |
| Gerben Kuypers | Selected |
| Witse Meeussen | Selected |
| Jente Michels | Selected |
| Thibau Nys | Selected |
| Laurens Sweeck | Selected |
| Niels Vandeputte | Selected |
| Michael Vanthourenhout | Selected |
| Joran Wyseure | Selected |
| Kay De Bruyckere | Reserve |
| Wout Janssen | Reserve |
| Toon Vandebosch | Reserve |
| Victor Van de Putte | Reserve |
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Norbert Riberolle absent from women’s selection
Belgian champion Marion Norbert Riberolle will also miss the championships after undergoing a procedure to address heart rhythm irregularities.
Her Crelan-Corendon team announced that medical examinations following her late-race difficulties in Dendermonde and Ardooie had identified the problem. No further abnormalities were found. The team said she would rest for several days before gradually resuming training under medical supervision, with no date set for her return to competition.
Julie Brouwers, Alicia Franck and Sterre Vervloet make up Belgium’s elite women’s selection, with no reserves named. Franck was the leading Belgian at Sunday’s Superprestige opener in Overijse, finishing seventh, while Brouwers took ninth.
| Rider | Selection status |
| Julie Brouwers | Selected |
| Alicia Franck | Selected |
| Sterre Vervloet | Selected |
The elite women race on Saturday 7 November, with the elite men following on Sunday 8 November. Both races start at 15:00 local time, or 14:00 in the UK.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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