The son of the cyclocross legend continues to sweep among the best: Nys wins in Switzerland
Dand cat parents, kitten children. Sven Nys, Belgian cycling legend, was ahead of his time. They knew him as ‘Cannibal of Baal’ because he swept cyclocross everything and everyone. Two World Cups, seven World Cups and more than 140 wins added to the record of a unique runner. His son, Thibau, seems to take on those genes. The Lidl-Trek cyclist added his fifth victory of 2024 in the complicated finale of Rüschlikon, the year that made his big leap as a professional. The Tour de Suisse, on the other hand, is now led by Alberto Bettiol (EF).
Nys has become a ‘puncheur‘ nato. It is a term taken from French that defines explosive cyclists, with prodigious final meters. He applied that to the climb in the Canton of Zurich. He waited for the moment and when he started no one could pass him. It has been his key to all the victories (five) and they make him a star for the ‘final walls’. In Switzerland, a test of perfect preparation for the Tour, his cache increases.
The race It had been launched since Marc Hirschi tried to anticipate everyone about three from the finish line. He launched a good attack, he gambled in a descent that even cost some spectators dearly and only the insistence of Alpecin-Fenix and the Decathlon-AG2R left him without the jackpot. UAE preferred not to play the winner with Almeida or Yates, always in the first places but without the intention of the others.
In the final kilometer everything changed. Hirschi was hunted and Wilco Kelderman, in his role as leader of the all-powerful Visma-Lease a Bike, opened hostilities. Nys followed him and less than 200 meters away he launched his attack. Bettiol, Williams and a great Roger Adrià sought to accelerate. But it didn’t happen and Nys raised her arms. Another triumph. A new star comes to the game.
Bettiol, taking advantage of the second place bonus, became the new leader of the general classification just before reaching the mountain. He has six seconds with Hayter, Kelderman – the best of the male candidates in the race – and Williams. Joao Almeida or Mattias Skjelmose appear at nine. The best Spaniard is Adrià, 13 seconds behind, with Mas (18th at 17 seconds).
Stage classification
General ranking
