Thibau Nys is already dealing with back problems and simply makes a rapid comeback: "Crazy if I completely step out now"

Thibau Nys is not at all concerned about the recent downturn he experienced in cyclocross over the past few weeks. Following a disappointing race in Flamanville, the young Belgian headed to Calpe, Spain, to join Lidl-Trek's first team camp. In a detailed interview with IDLProCycling.com, he explained in the team hotel exactly what went wrong recently and, most importantly, how he plans to address it.

I am very happy to be here. This might be my salvation, to steer my cyclocross season back in the right direction a little bit," Nys began in good spirits when asked about his current state. "In the direction in which I started at the beginning of this season—a start that I never would have dared to dream of. But then I slipped further than expected. I don't feel that I made mistakes and that I had everything under control during that period."

Nys has been winning races and making an impact this cyclocross season, but things took a sudden downturn in recent weeks. "I can't deny that it's mentally difficult to drop off after performing so well, especially when you don't know where it's coming from," he said. In post-race interviews, he pointed to his back, but clarified, "That back is not the cause; it just acted up a bit because I wasn't one hundred percent and wanted to push everything out. That always nags somewhere. If you ask anyone in the cyclocross peloton if they've ever had a back issue, everyone raises their hand."

"There was just a bit of a brake on it, and it may indeed be that the hundred percent is related to that back. We tested and checked the back, and there is nothing wrong or blocked," Nys emphasized, remaining composed under the circumstances. "The pain in the back can be fatigue, it can come from the buttock, or just a lesser day when you are pushing more. The muscles in my back just gave up somewhat."

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Thibau Nys did not want to give up cross-country season

"But what now? Initially, it was suggested by Baloise Trek Lions that Nys should perhaps take a few weeks off. In the end, that option was not chosen. "My cyclocross season would run until the World Championships in Tabor anyway, so it would be foolish to take a break and only do two or three races leading up to the World Championships. You won't regain your form, and it won't help straighten things out."

He continued: "After Flamanville, I came to Calpe and didn't touch my bike for four days. I will start again on December 23 in Antwerp, so I gave my body a chance to recharge, but a complete rest is not possible. Now that my body has recovered a bit, I plan to train hard for two weeks, and then I hope to pick up the thread again. I am genuinely confident that I can, and that it will happen."

"It's all about the details," says Sven Nys' son. "A five percent improvement here and five percent there can already have a significant impact. I hope that in Spain, I can balance everything out physically. No, it hardly ever bothers me on the road. In cyclocross, it also depends on the type of training I do. If I do an effort of six times three minutes, then I rarely have problems because I relieve the pressure just in time. If I ride at a slower pace with sustained pressure for thirty or forty minutes, it may well act up."

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Additional strain on back not an option for Nys and Lidl-Trek

So, Nys returns, but how will he avoid falling into the same trap? "It could also be fatigue. If that's the case, you'll need to strengthen your back to better prepare yourself. If you try to do that in these two weeks and push too hard, you might worsen the situation. Putting a lot of strain on your back now could lead to more problems when you resume cyclocross training. Finding that balance is challenging."

"I'm going to pay attention to it, but cautiously,' he concluded. "It will be fifty percent training and fifty percent rest. It's a process, and I can't pinpoint the cause. Was it too much: the road and then cyclocross? Personally, I don't think so. Perhaps a lack of training quality? After America, I couldn't train much, especially with many cyclocross races in quick succession afterward. It could be anything, and maybe in a few months or next year, we will figure out what we could have done differently. I'm confident this approach will benefit me."