Former junior cyclocross world champion Thibau Nys has stepped up to take victory at the U23 race, soloing to victory in Hoogerheide on Saturday.
The Belgian hit the front of the race along with Tibor Del Grosso (Netherlands) on the opening lap of seven before heading off alone a lap later. Nys built up a lead lap after lap through the mud, eventually taking 25 seconds over a chase group heading into the final circuit, his triumph secure.
Nys, a top favourite for the win and the son of two-time senior world champion Sven Nys, had time to celebrate as he raced towards the line for the final time
It was really difficult. The start was perfect. I had the right wheel and saw that David [Haverdings] and Tibor were starting on small-burred tyres. I just went with the roughest profile, the hardest one," Nys said after the race.
"I knew that I needed to get into the woods section, the technical zone, first because I had more grip and immediately I took four to five metres. I started pushing from the first minute of the race, always keeping in mind to have something left. I kept the pressure on and then it was really hard to ride the whole race alone.
"In the technical zone, it was really good but in the fast rolling sections, I had the feeling that the rolling resistance was so bad. But I had the power to pull it off and ride the perfect race, I think.
"I wanted this so bad. I worked so hard for this and it was my biggest goal of the season. The pressure was huge, also for myself. It's a race where you can't make any mistakes. to pull it off like this is amazing. I only could've dreamed what it could be."
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Behind Nys, a three-man sprint for the remaining medals unfolded.
Del Grosso, dropped by Nys earlier on, was battling against Belgian pair Witse Meeusen and Joran Wyseure, and would get the better of them both to claim silver, four seconds behind Nys. Meeusen rounded out the podium with bronze a further second back.
The trio had been part of the unsuccessful chase behind Nys along with Emiel Verstrynge. At one point, coming into the third lap, it looked as though Nys's solo venture might fail, with Meeussen attacking from the chase to get within five seconds of the leader.
However, by lap four, Nys had extended his lead back out over 10 seconds, while the chase lost a man as Verstrynge dropped back. From that point onwards, it was all about Nys, who was away and unhindered as he rode on to the finish, extending his lead with each lap.
Meeusen tried again on the final lap, though in a bid to secure silver rather than realistically catch Nys. Del Grosso led the chase with Wyseure on his wheel, though, and the trio were back together for one final fight at the finish. There, it was Del Grosso who prevailed, his sprint the quickest in the dash for silver.
Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor before being hired full-time. Her favourite races include the Paris-Roubaix, Tour de France Femmes, Tro-Bro Léon, and cycling's fourth Grand Tour, the Volta a Portugal.
