"We finally have ten" - Terrific Thibau Nys adds to father Sven's nine Koppenbergcross victories

Thibau Nys has taken an utterly dominant victory at the Koppenbergcross, a race synonymous with the legendary career of his father, Sven Nys.

“It was a type of race that I have rarely experienced,” Thibau Nys reflected to Wielerflits post-race. “It was such a slow cross that really drained you completely. Then you have time to think, because you are only concerned with yourself, with finding your pace. You're not busy with anything else. That's a strange feeling, especially when you're riding around all alone.”

“I had chosen to ride uphill with slightly harder tires and with slightly less profile, but that didn't work out very well. After that I just started doing my own thing. I tried to find a pace that I could just keep up for the entire cross, I didn't look at anyone," he continues. “It's very little interval. Finding the limit is difficult, because sometimes it is just a balancing act to ride away. It is very difficult how to play with your powers. It was a battle with myself.”

Sven Nys took victory on the brutally difficult cross nine times in his career. Adding Thibau's first success at the event rounds it up to a terrific ten for the family. "It is unbelievable. We've been talking about this for a long time. To top it off like this... We finally have ten," he concludes emotionally. “I just want to enjoy this now. The season is already incredible."