The Lidl-Trek and Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau star scored a special win in Beringen
Thibau Nys pulled off a Sunday thriller to win the Belgian cyclocross national title for a second straight season. He took control of the race from the starting gun, but a crash on Lap 4 opened the door for challengers to come back. Emiel Verstrynge gradually made up ground over the second half of the race, catching Nys on the last lap. But Nys hit his afterburners on the finishing straight to earn the right to race the Belgian tricolor kit for another year.
Thibau Nys wouldn't be denied a second-straight Belgian title.
“It was about riding to the finish as safely as possible,” Nys told Sporza. “Emiel came up to my wheel, but it was so treacherous, and I didn’t want to take any risks. As a result, I lost seconds on every corner. That was the safest way to win the title, because I knew I had enough power for one last burst of energy.
“I’m really attached to this jersey and hope to wear it for a long time.”
Nys is no stranger to entertaining battles. He is coming off a jam-packed holiday period of racing, during which he had a string of four straight podiums, including a win at the World Cup race in Dendermonde. He and Verstrynge have been particularly close, with Verstrynge besting his compatriot in two straight races prior to Belgian Championships.
There’s no question who the strongest rider was on Sunday, however. Nys scored his biggest result of the season so far with the closing stretch upcoming. Two more weeks of World Cup racing lead into World Championships in Hulst at the end of January. We can’t wait to see what Thibau has in store for the biggest race of the year.
