Immediately hit the mark in his first cross as European champion: Thibau Nys outclassed the opposition in Rapencross

Nys rejected all interview requests during the week because he wanted to prepare for the cross in Lokeren. “He just wanted to train, eat and sleep. I will give interviews on Sunday,” said dad Sven Nys during the cross.

A cross where Nys himself took the initiative by riding away in the first lap. Eli Iserbyt took over, but fell and subsequently had chain problems. The Belgian champion ultimately finished fifth. Nys then drove away with Laurens Sweeck. The latter put Nys under pressure with a great sand strip, but the European champion took over mercilessly in the technical section and rode solo to victory, his third of the season.

At the line, Nys had almost a five-second lead over Niels Vandeputte and Jente Michels. Lars van der Haar finished fourth, Iserbyt fifth and Sweeck sixth. Defending champion Michael Vanthourenhout only finished eleventh.

The Rapencross is a newcomer in the X2O Bathrooms Trophy. The regularity criterion opened on November 1 with the Koppenbergcross in Oudenaarde, where Lars van der Haar was victorious. The Dutchman, Nys’s teammate, finished fourth on Sunday at 12 seconds and remains the leader in the standings.