If you are a fan of cyclocross or cycling, the surname Nys should ring a bell. First of all, Sven Nys might come to mind, but soon another name becomes popular, his equally talented and charismatic son – Thibau.
Who is Thibau Nys?
The name should be familiar to most. He has already won a cyclocross world championship (Jrs in 2020) and is climbing to the top of the ranks as quickly as he moves up to a new age class. At the start of the season, Thibau was a top pick for a podium and possibly victory at the 2022 U23 World Championships in Fayetteville. As the cyclocross season progressed, Thibau had its ups and downs. He suffered a broken collarbone while competing at the Trek World Cup – slipping on a rain-soaked section of pavement in a barrier. Putting a question mark over his trajectory through the elite ranks and the possibility of regaining his previous fitness when the season had only just begun.
Photo: Jordan Villella
Overcoming injuries and meeting challenges is part of the Nys way of life. Thibau and his father Sven work closely together in training and life skills, which has made the father/son duo so popular. The pair have their own reality show on Sporza, and Sven had a major film revolving around his final year of racing.
The Nys family was fully active for the World Championships, riding laps together, chatting with Team Trek staff in between and taking more pictures with fans than I have ever seen at a race cross.
Photo: Alex Hays
the race
The U23 men’s race did not disappoint, with fast and furious attacks from the start. The race saw Joran Wyseure (Belgium) break away from the peloton and maintain a steady but blistering pace to secure victory. The chasing pack of Emiel Verstrynge (Belgium), Thibau Nys (Belgium), Mees Hendrikx (Netherlands) and Cameron Mason (Great Britain) made the race for the podium as exciting as winning. On the final lap, Emiel Verstrynge broke away and stayed out, as the charge group of Nys, Hendrikx and Mason sprinted for bronze, with Nys taking the medal and completing a sweep of the Belgian podium.
Photo: Jordan Villella
The bike
Thibaus’ Trek Boone looks surprisingly similar to his father Sven’s, right down to the Bontrager Serano Pro saddle, a mix of old school and new. The Serano Pro shape is classic (like the Selle Italia Turbo), but the materials are modern, and it’s only available in a narrow 138mm width.
Photo: Jordan Villella
The frame is a 56cm Trek Boone with a custom Baloise Trek Lions paint scheme. Stickers and added styling are from vcgraphix, a popular graphics company for professional teams. The only real custom or upgraded frame detail is the super-light Trek Emonda seat mast we noticed on Lucinda Brands’ bike.
Photo: Jordan Villella
The 56cm Trek Boone is a reasonably neutral fit, with a fairly tall 157mm head tube length. Thibau rides a 110mm Bontrager alloy Pro Blendr stem, slammed to the recently updated clean cable system. Like Brand, Thibau opts for Bontrager IsoCore carbon handlebars with vibration damping.
Photo: Jordan Villella
Like all the Baloise Trek Lions crew, the shift and brake bits are SRAM Red Etap. Thibau went with a 44T front ring and 10-33t 12-speed cassette for the hilly but rolling Fayetteville World course.
Photo: Jordan Villella
Thibau uses the same Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 tubular wheelset as the rest of the team, but opts for Challenge tires instead of Dugast. We also saw Thibau on the easy-to-spot red flanks last season. Like most rides, the Thibaus team opted for a proven Grifo tread for Saturday’s event. Enough grip for fast off-camber sessions and low rolling resistance on pavement.
Photo: Jordan Villella
Details — Thibau Nys Team Edition Trek Boone
Framework: 600 Series OCLV Carbon, IsoSpeed rear, 3S chain keeper, T47 bottom bracket
Fork: Trek full carbon, 12mm thru axle, 45mm standard offset
Gear/brake levers: SRAM Red eTap AXS shift and brake levers
Brake calipers: SRAM Red eTap AXS, flat mount
Brake discs: SRAM centerline, 140mm
Crankset: SRAM Red 172.5mm
Chain ring: SRAM X-Sync 2, 44t
Rear derailleur: SRAM Red eTap AXS
Cassette: SRAM Force, 10-33t, 12-speed
Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 Carbon Tubulars
Tires: Challenge Team Edition Red Grifo 33mm tubulars
Handlebar: Bontrager Pro IsoCore carbon VR-CF, 420mm
Stem: Bontrager Pro Blendr 110mm
Seat post cap: Trek Round ultralight carbon seatmast cap and 10mm ears
Saddle: Bontrager Serano Pro 138mm with carbon rails
Pedals: Shimano XTR M9100 SPD
More information: trekbikes.com
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