CYCLO-CROSS IS CALLING THIBAU NYS
Both are top cyclists, but Thibau’s results on the road are no match for those of Sven. We have been riding with the “little Cannibal” for the past few months and we are also looking ahead.
Still passionate about cross
The past cyclo-cross season got off to a flying start for Thibau Nys. In his first five races, he immediately took three wins: in the B-Mine cross in Beringen, the UCI World Cup race in the American Waterloo and the Koppenbergcross. His victory in Waterloo was a nice gift for one of his team’s sponsors. After all, Waterloo is the home of bike manufacturer Trek. After that very good start, however, he could not continue that strong line. He wasn’t satisfied with that either, but in hindsight he felt he had taken a nice step forward.
The road program
The first part of his road program, with the Tour of Romandy, Hungary and Norway, was more or less the same as last year. With second places in stages of the first two rounds and a win in the one in Norway (his first as a pro), he was already quite successful then. But this year he was at the start with even more ambition. After all, he wants to perform in every race.
The first World Tour victory
After the tough cyclocross season, Nys took the necessary rest after the world championships in Tábor to prepare for his first road season as a pro with the Lidl-Trek World Tour team. After an altitude training in Tenerife, the now 21-year-old Thibau was at the start of his first road race of the season, the Swiss Tour de Romandie, at the end of April. In the second stage he was in the early breakaway for the first time in his career. And it carried right to the end. With a strong final sprint with three uphill he took his first victory in the World Tour and also got to put on the leader’s jersey. “I felt really super good on that final climb. I will remember this for the rest of my life”. It became clear right away: After a tough race and in a final uphill sprint he is hard to beat.
Like a Puszta rider through the Hungarian country
Just over a week later he was already at the start of the five-day Tour of Hungary. The history of this relatively unknown race dates back to 1925. The course is certainly not easy. After the first flat stage there was a lot of climbing to do. The finish of the last three stages was uphill. That jacket seemed to fit Thibau just fine. With a strong final sprint he won the third stage and also took the leader’s jersey. A day later he did the same and strengthened his leading position. In the last stage he was not in danger anymore and so he wrote the first cycle race on his palmares.
Mark Cavendish also participated in this tour. He finished second in the points classification after Thibau. It was his penultimate preparation race before the Tour de France in which he took the record number of stage wins (35) for good.
Up north
In the first stage of the Tour of Norway Nys was a direct hit. The climb of almost 4 km at an average of 6% to the finish was a real treat for him. And he was also the first holder of the leader’s jersey. In this race Wout van Aert made his comeback after his bad crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen.
The Tour of Switzerland
For many riders this race is the very last test before the Tour de France. But for Thibau it was the preparation for the Belgian championship with which he ended the first part of his road season with a nice4th place. In the final kilometers of the third stage, Nys sees his chance. When Wilco Kelderman takes off he picks his wheel. In the last 150 meters on the uphill finish in Rüschlikon, Nys sets the pace and wins the sprint convincingly. This gives him his sixth win of the season. In doing so, he keeps Stephen Williams and Alberto Bettiol behind him. “I had been thinking about this stage for some time. I also knew after the reconnaissance that this would be something for me. This is more than a dream and that comes with emotions. This is my best win so far.” Another proof of just how strong he is on finishes like this.
Third time’s the charm
Thibau resumed his road season at the Tour of Poland. And in what a way. Here too he found his favorite finishes: “fairly short and steep or three to four kilometers of not too steep climbing”. He won the first (final climb 450 m at 3.6%), third (900 m at 8.1%) and sixth stage (3 km at 5%), the latter being the queen’s stage. And he didn’t beat pancakes but the top riders of the peloton such as Kelderman, Ulissi, Vingegaard and Mohorič.
The last of the road season
His last road race was the Bretagne Classic-Quest-France in which he finished fifth. Physically I had one of my best days this year, but I gambled at a moment where I probably shouldn’t have. With that I lost the race’. Once again, it is clear that Thibau has made a big move.
‘You know who is calling? Cyclo-cross is calling’
In every round he participated in, he won a stage. A flying start at the very highest level. If he wants to compete for a final victory in a round he will have to invest more in his time trial. In Hungary that was not the case. But he doesn’t want to say goodbye to cross-country racing as his first love for the time being. That is still too much his playground and remains his first and great love. We have our bones and thick frak ready to see him do spectacular things there as well. And if we look further ahead: On the road, he could focus on the Walloon classics next year so he can have a rest and training period after the cyclo-cross season. Riding a grand tour is something for the further future.
One thing is clear: he has surprised us all very pleasantly and we haven’t seen the last of him.
And…Where are the days when, as a little guy, we saw him riding his bike around the cross-country tracks where his daddy made the nice weather?
Text: Rens Klaasse
Cover Photo: © Karancsi Albert Rudolf tdh.hu
