Thibau Nys the man to beat for Cyclocross Europeans, "especially after what he showed on the Koppenberg" says Herygers

Former cyclocross World Champion Paul Herygers is a vocal voice in the world of cyclocross and after the opening weeks of the season, he has shared who he believes will be the main favourites for next weekends' European Championships in Middelkerke - perhaps the most important event of the first half of the season.

Without Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert in competition, many men have put on great displays and have taken wins, and so there is a wide range of contenders for the title. Last year in Pontevedra, Nys beat Felipe Orts in a very fast track, and this time around in Middelkerke the riders deal with a more tricky track where the sand can play a key role and lead to unexpected outcomes.

But Herygers has his eyes on the reigning champion Thibau Nys as the man to beat. "In my opinion, yes, especially after what he showed on the Koppenberg," the Sporza commentator shared. "And in Lokeren, he also fought his way back into the race, until disaster struck. But Nys had recovered from the Koppenberg. For me, he remains one of the top favorites for the European title."

But the race should be very open, with several riders who have impressed over the past few races: "There are other men competing (he refers to Michael Vanthourenhout and Joris Nieuwenhuis, ed). Don't forget Pim Ronhaar. He didn't compete in Lokeren, but on Saturday he finished on the podium in Oudenaarde."

In the women's race, Herygers argues the chance to beat Fem van Empel is very real, and Lucinda Brand is the main threat: "She definitely has to believe in it. Give her some more sand this week and she'll definitely have a chance. Brand can certainly go to Middelkerke with a clearer mind than Fem van Empel. She took action too early after an illness."

This comes specially after the World Champion abandoned the Koppenbergcross whilst leading in the opening lap, and then skipped the Lokeren race on Sunday, giving mixed signals on her health status. "In racing, I believe in them (resurgences, ed.). Especially when you're talking about Van Empel? With 50 cyclocross races to her name, she's not just anyone."