Thibau Nys overcame two crashes and a deficit of around half a minute to win the 2026 Koppenbergcross on his first cyclocross start of the season. The Belgian champion caught Michael Vanthourenhout at the start of the final lap before passing him on the last ascent of the Koppenberg, winning in 1:01:31 by seven seconds.
Gerben Kuypers finished third at 42 seconds after spending much of the race between Vanthourenhout and the chasing Nys. Pim Ronhaar was fourth at 57 seconds, with Cameron Mason fifth at 1:01.
How it unfolded
Victor Van de Putte made the quickest start and led the favourites onto the opening sections of the course. Nys was immediately prominent on his return to racing, with Vanthourenhout, Joris Nieuwenhuis and Kuypers also well placed as the front group expanded and contracted through the opening laps.
The first major turning point came on lap three. Van de Putte slid out in front of Nys and the Belgian champion was unable to avoid him. Nys hit the ground and then had to stop to straighten his handlebars before continuing, leaving him around 25 to 30 seconds behind the front of the race.
Vanthourenhout immediately used the opportunity. Already one of the strongest riders of the early season, he attacked and established himself at the front while Nys began working through the riders between them. Ronhaar’s own crash removed one potential obstacle and Nys soon moved back into the podium positions.
The chase was fast enough to bring Vanthourenhout back within sight. Nys reduced the deficit to around nine seconds, but his aggressive pursuit came with another cost when he slid out again. This time he needed a bike change through the pits and the gap opened once more.
With two laps remaining Nys was still around 12 seconds down, but he had dropped Kuypers and was visibly taking time out of Vanthourenhout on the Koppenberg. The catch finally came as the leaders reached the climb before the bell, setting up a head-to-head final lap.
Nys and Vanthourenhout repeatedly exchanged the lead. Neither could create the separation needed to avoid a final contest on the cobbles, and Vanthourenhout reached the foot of the last ascent in front. He opened the sprint first, but Nys was able to come past on the steep climb and put seven seconds into his rival by the line.
“I had the legs I hoped for,” Nys said afterwards. His physical condition was evident throughout the recovery, although the two crashes also gave him an obvious area to improve before the European Championships.
The victory was Nys’ third at the Koppenbergcross and an immediate statement on his 2026-27 season debut. It also put him straight into contention in the time-based X²O Badkamers Trofee after a race in which his raw pace repeatedly cancelled out technical errors.
Koppenbergcross 2026 men’s result
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Time / gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thibau Nys | Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions | 1:01:31 |
| 2 | Michael Vanthourenhout | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez Industriebouw | +0:07 |
| 3 | Gerben Kuypers | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez Industriebouw | +0:42 |
| 4 | Pim Ronhaar | Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions | +0:57 |
| 5 | Cameron Mason | 777TV CX Team | +1:01 |
