Nys misses out on victory but gains a big advantage ahead of World Championships

The hectic Christmas cyclo-cross period is over, and for Thibau Nys, it brought consistent results with four podium finishes. Speaking with IDLProCycling.com, the young Belgian reflects on his holiday races and looks ahead to the World Championship preparation period.

We catch up with the ever-talkative Nys as he cools down on the rollers next to his camper, fresh off a grueling mud battle in Dendermonde. In this World Cup race, the Flemish rider struggled with a few crashes, though his main concern post-race wasn’t about those incidents. "My back was just really weak on the running sections. No worries for the Belgian Championship, but I’ll need to keep an eye on it. I need to make sure it stays in good shape."

At just 22 years old, the Baloise Glowi Lions rider is already focused on the upcoming period. But first, he reflects on the Christmas block. How does Nys feel about his performances? "Pretty okay. Physically, I felt really good over the past weeks. It’s just a shame about all the bad luck and see the victory in Diegem slip away right at the finish line. That could have made the Christmas period so much better. And then there was the misfortune in Baal as well."

Thibau Nys expected more wins but reflects on setbacks

The bad luck lingers for the young rider. "Some of it is within your control, and some of it isn’t. If you fall, it’s usually your own fault, most of the time. You also have to force your own luck a bit. Even today, without any bad luck, I wasn’t riding for the win—let me be honest about that. But I know things can be very different next week."

After a disappointing 16th place in Hulst, the son of Sven Nys bounced back with podium finishes in the following three races. "It wasn’t bad, but I did expect and hoped for more. Yes, for wins. Those little things that just don’t work out in my favor—those are things I can only blame on myself, of course," he admitted.

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Thibau Nys makes time for his fans afterwards

Thibau Nys takes time for fans and prepares for Lidl-Trek training camp: "Good food and massages"

The cyclo-cross peloton is getting a break from racing this week, with the national championships scheduled for next weekend. After the Belgian championships, Thibau Nys will head to Spain for a training camp to fine-tune his form ahead of the World Championships. "I think my training camp after the Belgian championship will bring great improvements. I always come back stronger from those. It’s a chance to put in some long hours and regain intensity, which always benefits my body," said Nys.

When asked about areas he still needs to improve, Nys highlighted his physical condition. "Getting my back in order and ensuring I’m fresh for the race—then a lot is possible." His training camp with his road team, Lidl-Trek, will play a big role in that preparation. "Yes, everything is taken care of. There’s good food on the table, and you get massages. Those small percentages are a nice bonus."

Nys won’t be following the Lidl-Trek training plan to the letter, as he still needs to balance his cyclo-cross preparation. "I try to follow the team plan where I can, but I’m also focused on my own preparation for cyclo-cross. Obviously, I’m not going to do seven-hour endurance rides right before races. It’s about staying sharp and incorporating those cyclo-cross-specific stimuli." However, he’s not planning to take it easy either. "The training hours will do me good," he concluded.

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