Sven Nys calls out cyclocross organisers for treatment of van der Poel and van Aert: 'Guys are going to turn their backs on the sport'

Last Sunday, the cyclocross season officially kicked off with the HG Cross in Dendermonde, and, as expected, van der Poel and van Aert weren’t there yet. They competed in the Road World Championships back in September and will therefore enjoy some rest for quite a while before gearing up for a new road season. Cyclocross plays only a minor role in that.

Nys understands that the cyclocross world is still under the thumb of the sport’s two giants at the moment, especially since van der Poel was still competing in cyclocross last winter and clinched his eighth world title in Ostend this past January. However, the Belgian—team manager of the Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions—is also warning the sport about the future.

In an interview with Sporza last weekend, Nys stated that he is not a fan of the late start to the season for the top riders. “I like the traditional approach,” said the cyclocross legend, who made a name for himself as a full-time cyclocross rider.

“The calendar has changed over the past ten years to accommodate the wishes of a few riders who are competing in cyclocross for increasingly shorter periods. I just have to go along with it.”

Nys mentioned van der Poel and van Aert by name and expressed understanding for the organisers’ desire to have the two at the start.

“But at some point, those guys are going to turn their backs on the sport, and then you’re left with a whole bunch of races during the short Christmas period. Then you have to start disappointing people.”

Nys hopes that “a traditional calendar” remains an option, because: “You can’t race ten days in a row. That’s unfeasible.”

Then, in a cynical tone, regarding the much-discussed and jam-packed Christmas period: “Soon we’ll have to race twice in one day just to get them to the starting line. I often get calls asking if Thibau can still race, but he’s already doing seven races during that period.”

In November and most of December, there are usually one or two races a weekend, and Nys would like to keep it that way. He has respect for all the organisers who are keeping their heads above water during the busiest weeks of the year, knowing that even a race between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is no guarantee that Mathieu and/or Wout will be there.