{"id":539527,"date":"2026-03-14T07:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T07:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/539527\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T07:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T07:56:09","slug":"thibau-nys-to-miss-classics-after-surgery-for-cyclists-knee-my-heart-is-broken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/539527\/","title":{"rendered":"Thibau Nys to miss Classics after surgery for \u2018cyclist\u2019s knee\u2019: \u201cMy heart is broken\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thibau Nys<\/a> has undergone surgery for what is commonly referred to as \u201ccyclist\u2019s knee,\u201d his team Lidl-Trek<\/a> announced <\/a>on Friday afternoon. The 23-year-old Belgian had been enjoying a well-earned holiday in recent weeks after a long cyclo-cross winter, but once he returned to the bike, discomfort in his left knee continued to persist. In the end, surgery was deemed the best solution.<\/p>\n

The condition is officially known as prepatellar friction syndrome, a chronic overuse problem in the knee that causes superficial pain at the front of the joint. It is seen relatively often in cyclists and runners, which explains the nickname. The pain can also come with swelling and tenderness, and in many cases the issue is identified through an MRI scan.<\/p>\n

In Nys\u2019 case, the injury stemmed from a blow to the knee earlier in 2025. Even so, the Belgian continued to feel discomfort during training, which ultimately made the decision to operate a more straightforward one. Nys underwent the procedure in Herentals, where he had a partial prepatellar fasciectomy. That means contracted or thickened connective tissue was removed. According to Lidl-Trek, the procedure was a success.<\/p>\n

Nys will now need at least three and a half weeks of rest before he can resume training. His race programme will be determined later, depending on how his recovery progresses. For now, only the Giro d\u2019Italia remains on his schedule, although Nys had also been expected to return to the Ardennes Classics. He made his debut in those races in 2025 and immediately mixed it with the best, but an update of his own has now confirmed that he will have to miss them this year.<\/p>\n

Continue reading below the photo!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Nys on missing the Classics: \u201cMy heart is broken\u201dAfter Lidl-Trek shared the medical update, Nys also responded himself to the disappointing news. On Instagram<\/a>, he posted a photo of his bandaged leg. \u201cMy heart is broken because I\u2019m missing the most important races of the year,\u201d said the Belgian. \u201cI was hungry for a huge season, I was ready to make a big step. That\u2019s life \u2014 first things first. I\u2019ll be back.\u201d\"thibau-nys\"\/