Thibau Nys quickly snaps a photo of his bronze medal before speaking with IDLProCycling.com. "That one's for later, for my Instagram," laughs the third-place finisher at the Cyclocross World Championships in Liévin, before tucking his phone away.
The World Championship medals are huge at this event in the small French town. Nys still has his hanging around his neck, but takes a closer look when asked if it might secretly feel like gold. "Uhm, no. It’s definitely bronze," the 22-year-old says with another laugh.
Still, considering Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert were competing, this was probably the best possible outcome—not just for Nys, but for the entire field. "You can’t compare it to gold," he continues. "But it’s a really special one. Behind Wout and Mathieu, this was probably the best result possible, and it's a big step in my career."
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Nys made his biggest impact this cyclocross season during the championship races. Early in the season, he won the European Championship, and just three weeks before the World Championships, he was crowned Belgian Champion. "I think I’ve taken a step forward compared to last year. And I believe I can do the same again next year, so I’m really happy with how I feel. It was great to finish the season like this."
While answering, he reaches for his phone—he’s getting a call. The screen reads ‘Papa’. Thibau hesitates for a moment but puts the phone away. During the race, his father Sven Nys had already commented that his son wasn’t following the plan, saying he shouldn’t have switched bikes as often. "Yeah, I made a few tactical mistakes with the bike changes. I also didn’t find the right lines. I don’t think I lost too much time, but it took me a while to get into the race technically and tactically."
Even though Thibau ignored his father’s call, the two had already spoken after the race. "I already talked to him and explained why. I think he’s very happy with my third place." And what does Sven Nys say to his son after a race like this? (Thibau, laughing) "Nothing. I think he’s just really happy."
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Sven Nys also spoke to Sporza about his son’s bronze medal. "It’s a different kind of emotion than when you’re up there yourself. This is your own blood, your son. You want everything for your kids, and this is one of those special moments." And what did Sven Nys think about Thibau ignoring his advice on bike changes? "He needs to have the confidence to make his own decisions. We should really be satisfied with today."
For Thibau, the day was especially successful considering his struggles in recent weeks—he had to skip the Maasmechelen race due to illness and didn’t finish in Hoogerheide. "It’s great to end the season like this, because these past two weeks weren’t easy," the young Nys told HLN.
Before the World Championships, Nys was able to mentally recharge one last time. "The last five days were tough—I was fighting against everything. I never actually got sick, but in those final days, you just want to build confidence. A World Championship is, of course, the perfect source of motivation to push yourself one last time."
The European Champion also had some words of praise for seven-time world champion Mathieu van der Poel. "He won’t collect the most cyclocross titles because of his ambitions on the road, but he is the best cyclocross rider we’ve ever seen—and maybe ever will see."