Thibau Nys sees victory in Diegem Cross slip through his fingers: "I let myself be lulled to sleep"
Cyclocross
The Diegem Cross will leave a sour aftertaste in Thibau Nys' mouth. Everything seemed to be perfectly alligned for the European champion - good legs, fast course, neither of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout Van Aert at the start... But it still didn't click for the 22-year-old who had to settle for a podium after a race that had him aiming higher.
"I get screwed the whole race, but I also let myself get screwed by certain situations," the Baloise - Trek Lions rider reflects on the cyclocross with Sporza. "Michael (Vanthourenhout, ed.) who breaks his shoe, a few crashes... It’s all unintentional, but it cost me a lot of energy."
Nys does not spare himself during his analysis. "In the last lap I make a mistake just before the sloping side, which puts me in fourth position. I had to sprint there to get back to those guys. I am doing well otherwise, but I just couldn't stay sharp enough. That is a shame, because I did have the legs to win. To give it away like that is very painful."
I felt physically perhaps the strongest,” Nys continues. “I thought it would be difficult to pass me after the sandpit. I already rode my sprint there, but after that I was at my limit. I could gain five, six meters, but the last corners weren’t sharp enough to keep Laurens behind me.”
Nys was a bit 'trapped' during the race. "The race remained much more closed than expected. I always ended up in a situation where there was no racing or a gap had to be closed. I let myself be lulled to sleep too much. I didn't race my own race enough. If I just do that, I can win that race. That is very disappointing, even though Laurens is the deserved winner. He did everything perfectly," Nys concludes.
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