Sven Nys hopes knee surgery leaves Thibau fresher for late-season goals: 'Every cloud has silver lining'

Thibau Nys hasn't raced since February 1 in Hulst at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships, where he finished 3rd behind the Dutch duo Mathieu van der Poel and Tibor Del Grosso. 

Lidl-Trek confirmed in March that the Belgian had undergone successful surgery to correct prepatellar friction syndrome, commonly known as "cyclist's knee" in his left knee, ruling him out of the spring Classics. 

The 23-year-old multi-disciplined star was set to target the Ardennes after a strong 2025 campaign, which saw him finish 5th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 8th at La Flèche Wallonne, and 12th at Amstel Gold Race. 

However, according to his father, Sven Nys, Thibau is edging closer to a return to racing, and optimism is growing inside the Nys camp.

“He is doing very well,” Sven Nys told Het Laatste Nieuws. “He has been training 25 to 30 hours a week for more than three weeks now without any painful reaction in the knee. He is making progress every day, and that motivates him.”

According to the cyclocross great, the initial month after the operation without training proved to be key in ensuring the success of the recovery process.

“Those first four weeks after the surgery were crucial,” Sven explained. “He really wasn’t allowed to do anything during that time. There was always a risk of irritation in the knee, so everything had to settle first before he could fully train again.”

Thibau has since resumed structured training blocks, alternating long endurance rides with recovery days and strength work as he builds toward a possible return at the GP Gippingen, a race where he finished second last year, on June 14. A trip to the Tour de Suisse, where he won a stage in 2024, could also be on the horizon later that month.

Sven also praised Lidl-Trek’s cautious approach to the comeback, insisting there was little sense in rushing Thibau back into racing too early.

“Returning too early would only lead to a struggling season,” said Sven. “If he starts, the intention is to maintain that at a very high level for the rest of the season.”

Attention is already beginning to shift toward the second half of the year, with the Vuelta a España and a possible selection for the Road World Championships in Montréal among the key objectives.

Sven suggested that the Tour de France was never seriously considered as part of the plan, with the team leaning towards the Vuelta. 

“That was already the direction during the winter training camp,” Sven explained. “The combination with the spring Classics and a Grand Tour like the Giro or the Tour did not seem ideal.”

The demanding World Championship course in Montréal could also suit Thibau’s explosive climbing abilities, although competition for places in the Belgian squad is expected to be fierce, with riders such as Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert in the mix.

“A good Thibau should always be able to hold his own there,” Sven said. “Of course, there is no shortage of candidates, but that long period without competition might give him extra freshness later on… Every cloud has a silver lining.”