Former world champion Bart Wellens believes Thibau Nys has the talent to compete with Mathieu van der Poel, but..the young Belgian needs to change things up. Specifically, Nys still needs to sharpen his race instincts, according to Wellens. After Nys’ second-place finish in Benidorm, Wellens argued it wasn’t a matter of power, but positioning.

Nys v. Van der Poel

“Thibau was very strong, there is no doubt about that,” Wellens wrote in his column for Het Nieuwsblad, as reported by CyclingUpToDate. “But he rode the first lap far too relaxed. Once again, he didn’t grab onto Mathieu’s wheel straight away. That’s something he has to learn.”

The Benidorm race showed this, Wellens said. There was a crash involving Toon Aerts. It disrupted the front group. That allowed Van der Poel to attack on the small climb at the end of the first lap. Nys, slightly behind, had to work his way through the chaos. By the time he recovered, Van der Poel was already clear. And once again soloed to take the dub.
From there, Nys showed his strengths: steady, consistent power and control over the chase group. He distanced his rivals and finished second — “best of the rest.” Yet, Wellens sees an underlying flaw. And unlike the rest of the field–who are basically racing for runner-up when van der Poel, Wellens still thinks Nys can challenge him.

Race smarter, not harder

“The issue is not his engine,” he said. “It is knowing exactly where you need to be when it matters.” Wellens believes Nys could be the only rider capable of challenging Van der Poel at the world championships — if he rides smarter.

“If he truly wants to fight Mathieu at the world championships, then from the very first corner he must be on his wheel,” Wellens added. He suggested the Belgian team, led by coach Angelo De Clercq, should help Nys secure the ideal position from the start.

Nys tried to respond in Benidorm, pushing hard after Van der Poel’s attack, but it drained his energy.

“I’m not saying he can simply go ahead and drop Mathieu,” Wellens concluded, “but if we want a real battle at the worlds, he has no other option.”

The UCI Cyclocross World Cup continues this weekend, with races in Maasmechelen, Belgium, on Saturday and Hoogerheide, the Netherlands, on Sunday. Van der Poel currently leads the series, and both riders are expected to compete.