Thibau Nys times decisive final-lap move to perfection to claim European Cyclocross title

Thibau Nys (Belgium) won the elite men’s European cyclocross title in Zeddam, beating Joran Wyseure (Belgium) after an enthralling duel between the Belgian duo.

Nys ignited the race on lap 4, pulling clear before he was joined by Wyseure and Kevin Kuhn (Switzerland). Nys then pulled clear of the duo on lap 6, before Wyseure worked his way back across to his compatriot to set up for a showdown on the final three laps in the Netherlands.

The duo were unable to play too many games with one another as Cameron Mason (Great Britain) surged through the field after a bad start to keep a chasing group within ten seconds with one lap to go. 

Nys put the pressure on during the first half of the final lap, opening an advantage as Wyseure dug deep to remain in touch, with both powering up the 99-step staircase.

However, despite nearly crashing, Nys held firm and soloed to the elite men’s European title for the second time in his career. Wyseure took second place while Niels Vandeputte (Belgium) won the sprint for bronze, to complete a Belgian clean sweep of the podium.

Mees Hendrikx (Netherlands) got off to a fast start, with Kevin Kuhn also handily placed. Mason, who started on the second row, found himself in a less favourable position on the opening lap alongside Gerben Kuypers (Belgium) and Witse Meeussen (Belgium).

Felipe Orts (Spain) led a group of eight through the end of the first lap with Nys and Michael Vanthourenhout (Belgium), both in the second group around five seconds behind.

At the end of lap 2, both Nys and Vanthourenhout made their way into the leading group as Ryan Kamp (Netherlands) attacked through the home straight. 

The Dutchman’s pace initially stretched out the leading group on lap 3, with Vanthourenhout and Nys tracking nicely in second and third. Nys slipped back halfway through the lap after making a bike change.

By the end of the lap, the leading group consisted of 14 riders, with Laurens Sweeck (Belgium) and Mason the next chasers, over 15 seconds behind.

Nys opened up an advantage at the start of lap 4, and the Belgian used his excellent running skills to capitalise on the 99-step staircase. 

Kuhn led the chase, pulling clear of the pack alongside Wyseure. Nys led the duo by four seconds at the end of lap, while the chasing pack was at 14 seconds after the Belgians pulled off the front forcing the Dutch to chase.

By the staircase, Wyseure and Kuhn had closed up to Nys in front, while home favourite Nieuwenhuis pulled clear from the chasing pack in fourth. 

Vanthourenhout, Vandeputte and Orts bridged across Nieuwenhuis before the end of the lap, and they trailed the leaders by six seconds with four laps remaining.

Nys started to open a gap over his two companions on lap 6, but Wyseure fought back to return on the home straight while Kuhn, at 10 seconds, was trying to hold off the chasing quartet a further six seconds behind. 

Wyseure dictated the tempo for the majority of lap 7, with a few small gaps appearing between the duo on certain sections, indicating the pace was full-on.

Kuhn was still holding off the chasers, with the Swiss rider seven seconds behind the leaders at the end of the lap and six ahead of those behind, with Mason remarkably moving up to fourth and into podium contention. 

However, the British champion’s resurgence reeled Kuhn in, and he placed himself, the Swiss rider, Nieuwenhuis and Vandeputte within 10 seconds with one lap to go, where Nys would ultimately make the difference.