The Belgian promising star is joining Trek-Segafredo and will take on a dual road and cyclocross program next year
Thibau Nys is set to join Trek-Segafredo as he steps up his road racing ambitions. Thibau will have a place with Trek-Segafredo from August 1st, 2022 as a stagiaire before officially joining the team at the start of 2023 on a two-year contract. The 19-year-old will combine road with his current cyclocross schedule as he continues to race for the Baloise Trek Lions, joining teammates Lucinda Brand and Shirin van Anrooij on the dual program.
I feel honored to become part of Trek-Segafredo. I think this is the right step at the right time to get myself on the highest level. Riding in the WorldTour on the road has always been a dream and to realize that on a Trek bike makes it even more special. This way I can combine road racing at the highest level with racing cyclocross at the highest level at Baloise Trek Lions.
- Thibau Nys
Thibau has already tasted success in road racing, and on a Trek Émonda at that! At the 2021 U23 European Road Race Championships, he edged out none other than Filippo Baroncini, who he will now call a teammate.
Of course Filippo got his revenge two weeks later at the U23 World Championships road race in Leuven, taking a gutsy solo win ahead of a chase group that contained Thibau – who finished in a respectable 6th place.
“Thibau being part of the Trek family already put him firmly on our radar of rising talents. His cyclocross results speak for themselves, but when he won the European road title it made him even more interesting for us,” said Luca Guercilena, Trek-Segafredo General Manager. “This year he has already achieved great results in the road races in which he has participated. Thibau is keen to move ahead with his road racing career and we already have good experience with balancing the dual ambitions of road/cyclocross with Lucinda and Shirin with Baloise Trek. We’re really looking forward to taking him on the next step in his career.”
Thibau’s accolades in cyclocross are already numerous – he also won the U19 World Championships in 2020 – and now is following a path blazed successfully by two well-known cyclocross stars, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, both who made the change to racing on tarmac a seamless transition. However, the young budding star is just starting his career, in cyclocross and road, and the plan will be slow and calculated steps to allow Thibau to reach his full potential.
We’re super excited and motivated to have a rider with Thibau’s potential join the team. At the same time, we want to make his introduction to the WorldTour as relaxed as possible given the big expectations of the media and fans. We will work together with Baloise Trek Lions and Thibau’s existing support team to create the perfect environment for him to focus on his development without stress and without rushing any of the necessary steps.
-Markel Irizar, Trek-Segafredo Talent Scout