Thibau Nys has arrived! Belgian denies home crowd favourite Orts to take 2024 European Championship title

Belgium's Thibau Nys is the new Cyclocross European Champion! In an incredibly exciting battle in Pontevedra, Nys denied home crowd favourite Felipe Orts, taking his biggest career victory in the process.

After a cagey opening lap, the likes Michael Vanthourenhout and Pim Ronhaar were fighting for the front on lap 2 although the front group was still a large one. On lap 4, the Dutch took control at the front through Lars van der Haar, but as the group bunched up, there were still many riders in contention, including home crowd hero Felipe Orts.

On lap 5, Orts himself came to the front, upping the pace and putting all his rivals into difficulty, much to the delight of the Spanish crowd in attendance. As Orts continued to keep a strong pace, the Belgian duo of Thibau Nys and Eli Iserbyt followed the Spaniard at the front. As Iserbyt was forced into the pits by a mechanical on lap 7 though, Orts and Nys powered clear as a duo. As they continuously traded places at the front on the penultimate lap, the sense of excitement was growing in the Pontevedra crowd, but Nys wasn't showing any signs of weakness. As they took the bell, Orts and Nys were 12 seconds clear of Van der Haar and Iserbyt, making it look like a two horse race for the title. Orts was beginning to look a little tired though and as he unmounted over the planks, Nys hopped away, creating a small gap at the front. As more errors began to creep into Orts' riding that gap only grew as Nys took victory.

Read also

Fem van Empel times sprint to perfection to take title at 2024 European Championship ahead of Alvarado and Brand

INTERVIEW: Laura Verdonschot proud of Belgian efforts at women's European Championship 2024 - "I think we can be happy with 6th and 7th"