Two setbacks, satisfaction but also "what if...." for Ronhaar and Nys: "Without a flat tire today, I'm in it for the win"
Cyclocross
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Follow us on GoogleBoth teammates Pim Ronhaar and Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) had pretty much the same race analysis after the World Cup in Namen, Wallonia. Both experienced lousy luck and, according to the reports afterward - were competing for prizes. IDLProCycling.com caught the two immediately after their reaction was finished.
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"My start was just bad," Ronhaar concluded immediately. "I don't know what happened, but I missed my pedal first. Then it was okay, but they crashed, and I was far behind. Then I went down twice—once before the cobblestones. I don't know, I couldn't find my rhythm. Ultimately, I got through, but it wasn't good enough."
Visibly frustrated, the Dutch rider crossed the line, and even after the finish, the 23-year-old was still cursing a bit. "But I'm satisfied. I finished on the podium yesterday, and today, I'm kind of competing for the podium. I don't know, but the disappointment still prevails."
Because for a moment, Pim thought he would return to the leading trio at the front. "Very briefly. I also didn't want to put too much effort into riding up there at once because I know how hard you can drop back here. I wasn't good enough today, but if my start is better, I'll be on the podium."
Nys, after his fall in Dublin, was back on course in Namen.
Thibau Nys is sure: 'Without flat tire today, I'm in it for the win'
Teammate Nys shares that last conclusion. "Those flat tires knock me out of the race. In terms of time, I didn't lose much, maybe only forty seconds, but it cost me a lot of energy. Maybe I tried a little too hard to keep riding. Then, I felt I was up against myself because of that. Blown up for a moment. And then I couldn't pull it through either."
In his own words, the young Belgian could still get through at the end, but the power he wasted prevented a good result. Where could Nys have come without lousy luck? The Belgian is immediately very clear about that. "Without a flat tire today, I'm in it for the win."
A firm statement. Especially after Nys crashed hard in Dublin two weeks ago and dropped out, Nys did not sustain any injuries from that hard crash. "No, I don't feel anything anymore. That's completely gone. I can be satisfied with the feeling."
On top of that, Nys has just returned from a team training camp with his road team, Lidl-Trek, where he has been training under the Spanish sun for the past few weeks. The switch to the field has worked out well if Nys looks at his feelings about the race. "Very good, but it is tough to confirm that when you are always slammed to the back. I had then tried to come back a little too hard, which was not ideal. But I can't be dissatisfied."
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- One Lombardia doesn’t tell us how Seixas will handle a full Grand Tour. I’d rather see him develop steadily than have every result turned into a Pogačar comparison.samanthak12-11-2026
- Pogacar is 30 already? I thought he was younger. If he keeps winning like this, how long can he realistically ride at the top?jeremya12-11-2026
- Interesting that Thomas made the comparison while speaking to Rowe, given Decathlon’s hopes of keeping Seixas and the reports linking INEOS with him. Praise, or a subtle message to a potential signing?gearguru3312-11-2026
- Seixas winning Il Lombardia at this age is a huge statement. The Pogačar comparisons are inevitable, but Thomas is right to leave room for both of them to keep improving—Pog is still setting the bar.robert6512-11-2026
- A fascinating career, but the article leans heavily on his side of the story. Were the three disqualifications all for the same equipment rule, or were there different issues each time?michael5412-11-2026
- I’m still not sure how the handlebar rules work. If another rider can rest their wrists on the bars, why was Van Schip disqualified for his position?jennifer1912-11-2026
- The UCI really needs clearer, consistently enforced rules on bike setups and riding positions. If Van Schip was being told different things from race to race, no wonder he got fed up.patriciaw12-11-2026
- Two world track titles and three pro wins is a serious career, whatever the controversies. Shame he felt the sport stopped listening to him. Hope Rotterdam gives him the send-off he deserves.tourdeforce912-11-2026
- If he finished ninth at the Tour, why didn’t he get a stage win too? I’m still trying to understand how the overall standings work.julien11-11-2026
- No ‘cross at all this winter? That’s a shame, but with his road season starting in February, I can see why he’d want a proper break. Does stepping away mean he’s done with cyclocross for good?gearguru3311-11-2026