Thibau Nys heads Belgian team for UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in absence of Wout van Aert

The Belgium national team is down half of the riders the coach Angelo De Clercq expected to fill the country’s eight-man squad for the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships elite men’s race, but have filled out the roster with new national champion Thibau Nys at the helm.

The team is without Wout van Aert, who broke a bone in his right foot in a crash during the Zilvermeercross in Mol earlier this month, Eli Iserbyt to an early retirement, Laurens Sweeck to an injured shoulder, and Emiel Verstrynge, who has brought his season to a close to focus on preparation for the road season.

“The puzzle was not so difficult anymore and had already been laid for a while,” De Clercq said to Sporza. “I knew for a while that there would be absentees. I had been in contact with Emiel Verstrynge for the past few weeks, and we also knew that Wout and Laurens would not be there.

“They were all four medal contenders, so it’s a shame to have to miss them. But the focus is now on the guys who are there.”

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Verstrynge was a close second to Nys in the recent Belgian championships and has had a stellar season with six podiums, including third in the Zonhoven and Antwerp World Cups. However, he is starting his second neo-pro year with Alpecin-Premier Tech, and has already planned to stop his cyclo-cross season with the Belgian championships in order to rest up for the road season.

For Nys’ part, the new Belgian champion knows that topping Van der Poel will be an uphill battle, but De Clercq has confidence in the team’s medal potential.

“Thibau should be able to follow [Van der Poel] for a long time. He has to have ambition to be on the podium, and you never know, Mathieu could have a bad day and Nys end up on the highest step anyway. Anyway, we have a very strong team to go to Hulst.”

The team is hoping to win four medals total, including the non-elite races.

“This is a realistic goal. In a number of categories, we are with medal candidates and with the men’s juniors and under-23s, we can perhaps even become world champions with a good day. It’s interesting to see how far we get there.”

Belgium for the 2026 UCI Cyclo-cross World ChampionshipsElite MenThibau NysMichael VanthourenhoutToon AertsNiels VandeputteJoran WyseureToon VandeboschJente MichelsGerben KuypersReserves: Anton Ferdinande, Wout Janssen, Witse Meeussen, Victor Van de PutteElite WomenMarion Norbert RiberolleJulie BrouwersU23 MenViktor VandenbergheMats Vanden EyndeSil De BrauwereKay De BruyckereYordi CorsusAaron DockxArthur Van den BoerReserve: Kenay De MoyerU23 WomenFleur MoorsShanyl De SchoesitterJunior MenGiel LejeuneJari Van LeeBas Vanden EyndeLars CorsusJunior Women