Pride prevails for Sven Nys: "Fantastic to see how the team has evolved over the past months"

Sven Nys has expressed his admiration on X for how his team, Baloise Trek Lions, has been performing. This weekend, the cyclo-cross team once again reached the podium in both the men's and women's categories in Herentals and Namur, filling the team manager with immense pride.

Lucinda Brand finished a close second after a fierce battle with Fem van Empel in Herentals on Saturday and clinched a third place in the Citadel of Namur on Sunday. The men of Baloise Trek Lions also put up a strong fight against the returning Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock: Lars van der Haar joined the two top riders on the podium in Herentals, while Pim Ronhaar and Joris Nieuwenhuis stood beside Pidcock on the podium in Namur on Sunday.

"It's fantastic to see how the team has evolved over the past few months," said Nys, whose son Thibau is set to return to competition in Antwerp next Saturday after a few weeks of rest. "Every week, I witness great performances. This team has matured and sets the bar at the right height for itself. I'm proud of Baloise Trek Lions."

Baloise Trek Lions competes for prizes across the board

The riders themselves also feel a strong sense of pride. For instance, Brand shared with IDLProCycling.com on Saturday that she's really happy to be at a level where she can compete with Van Empel for victories. "Hopefully, there will be more such duels in the coming weeks. Getting back to this level was my biggest goal for the season, so achieving that is really great," said the lady from Dordrecht, who started the season late due to an injury.

In the men's category, Van der Haar (leader in the X2O Trophy), Nieuwenhuis, Nys and Ronhaar (who won their first professional victories) are making a splash. There's also a significant focus within the team on enjoying cycling, not just on performance, Nieuwenhuis explained on Sunday. "My mindset is different; I don't race just to win: I compete because I really enjoy the sport. Winning is secondary; the primary focus is on having fun," said the always amiable Dutchman.