“I think Thibau Nys can show something in the races that suit him perfectly or on truly exceptional days,” Nieuwenhuis said. “But to be able to go with Mathieu? Then Mathieu simply has to have a bad day. No one gets close to Mathieu when he’s having a very good day. What he does then is genuinely inhuman.”
Nieuwenhuis’ comments arrive during a winter in which interest around the discipline has intensified, with strong early-season performances from several riders. His focus on Van der Poel’s level places the spotlight back on the reigning world champion’s return to the sport.