Thibau Nys returns to training after knee surgery setback
After a frustrating spell on the sidelines, Thibau Nys has taken his first steps back toward full fitness, confirming he has resumed riding following knee surgery that disrupted the early part of his 2026 road campaign.
The 23-year-old Belgian, racing for Lidl-Trek, had been out of action for several weeks due to prepatellar friction syndrome in his left knee. The condition, which is relatively rare outside of cycling, forced him to undergo a minor surgical procedure in mid March after persistent pain during training.
“Four long weeks, but we are back,” Nys wrote on social media, signaling the end of an enforced break that ruled him out of key spring targets. “Rehab and rebuild can start.”
The timing of the injury proved particularly cruel. Nys had been building toward the start of his road season, where he was expected to defend his title at the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain and take on the Ardennes Classics.
The setback interrupted what had been a strong run of form. Over the winter, Nys impressed in cyclocross, collecting six victories, defending his Belgian title, finishing second overall in the World Cup standings behind Mathieu van der Poel, and securing a podium place at the World Championships.
While his physical recovery is now progressing, Nys has also opened up about the mental toll of his time off the bike. Speaking recently on Vive le Vélo, he described the past few weeks as particularly challenging.
“It’s mentally quite heavy. You feel a bit lost at home,” he said. “Every day you can see the muscles in your leg disappearing. That’s confronting.”
The sudden halt to his momentum only added to the frustration during what should have been a key phase of his season.
“It’s a bit depressing at times. You’re working toward something, and then everything just stops,” Nys explained. “But I also realise there are far worse things in the world than my injury.”
He also said that there was no clear timeline yet for a full return to racing. “In the best case, I could start riding again quietly after a few weeks. Then it’s a question of when I’m fully able to push again. That’s still unclear.”
According to Sporza, Nys is targeting a return to competition sometime in June or July.
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