Thibau Nys wins second European cyclocross title as Belgium sweeps Zeddam podium

Thibau Nys won the elite men’s title at the 2026 European Cyclocross Championships in Zeddam, breaking Joran Wyseure on the final lap before Belgium completed a clean sweep of the podium through Niels Vandeputte.

Nys finished the heavy nine-lap race in 59:37, seven seconds ahead of Wyseure and 19 seconds clear of Vandeputte. Joris Nieuwenhuis was fourth at 20 seconds, with Kevin Kuhn given the same gap in fifth and Cameron Mason sixth at 22 seconds.

The victory gives Nys his second elite European title after his success in 2024. He had finished second behind Toon Aerts last year, but returned to the top step in Zeddam after turning the championship into a final-lap duel with Wyseure.

How it unfolded

The 2.97km Zeddam circuit had already shown across the weekend that the famous 99-step staircase could become the decisive feature, but the elite men’s race initially developed through repeated attacks and regroupings rather than one early selection.

Kevin Kuhn reached the first corner at the front before Mees Hendrikx took over the pace. Felipe Orts, Laurens Sweeck, Niels Vandeputte, Joran Wyseure and Joris Nieuwenhuis were also prominent in the opening group.

Nys and Michael Vanthourenhout were further back than expected after the start, while Cameron Mason lost even more ground and was around 17 seconds behind the leaders during the opening phase.

The early gaps did not last. Nys and Vanthourenhout moved forward as a group of around 14 riders formed by the third lap, with Ryan Kamp and Nieuwenhuis keeping the Netherlands visible near the front and Kuhn repeatedly riding himself into an attacking position.

Nys makes the first serious split

Nys began to show his strength on lap four. He accelerated through one of the technical sections and briefly separated himself from the large lead group, forcing the strongest riders behind to react.

Vanthourenhout’s challenge suffered at almost the same moment when he dropped his chain. The two-time European champion had spent the opening laps recovering position, but the mechanical problem pushed him backwards again and he never returned to the fight for the medals.

Kuhn emerged as the first rider capable of matching Nys’s pace, with Wyseure close behind. The Swiss rider and Wyseure initially formed a chase around four seconds down before Wyseure bridged across and joined Nys at the front.

That became the decisive pairing. With three laps remaining, Nys and Wyseure had started to create meaningful separation, while Kuhn, Nieuwenhuis, Orts and Vandeputte remained close enough behind to keep the medal positions uncertain.

Wyseure refuses to let Nys go

Nys looked the more explosive of the two leaders, particularly through the technical sections, but Wyseure repeatedly found a way back onto his wheel.

On the penultimate lap, Wyseure even gained ground when Nys lost momentum in a technical corner. The Belgian champion recovered quickly, but the moment underlined how little separated the pair before the final circuit.

Behind them, Mason was producing one of the rides of the race. After his poor start, the British champion steadily passed riders and reached the chase for bronze, joining Kuhn, Nieuwenhuis and Vandeputte before the bell.

The title, however, was now between two Belgians.

The 99 steps decide the European title

Nys attacked shortly after the start of the final lap and briefly opened several metres. Wyseure closed the first move, keeping the pressure on the pre-race favourite and ensuring the race was still together when they reached the staircase.

That was where Nys finally made the difference.

He accelerated hard up the 99 steps and reached the top with around three seconds in hand. Wyseure continued to chase and Nys had one nervous moment when he nearly lost control later in the lap, but the gap never fully closed.

Nys kept the pressure on through the final technical sections and entered the finishing straight alone, giving himself enough time to celebrate before crossing the line seven seconds clear.

Vandeputte won the sprint for bronze from the four-rider chase, finishing 19 seconds down. Nieuwenhuis took fourth one second later, with Kuhn on the same time and Mason only another two seconds behind.

Belgium turn depth into a podium sweep

Belgium arrived with the deepest squad in the race, but the first half showed why numbers alone did not guarantee control. The Netherlands repeatedly put riders near the front, Kuhn remained dangerous for Switzerland and Mason recovered from deep in the field to threaten the medals.

The difference was that Belgium still had several options once the race finally split. Nys provided the decisive acceleration, Wyseure had the strength to stay with him until the final staircase and Vandeputte was still fresh enough to win the sprint behind.

For Nys, the result continues the momentum from his Koppenbergcross victory the previous weekend. He had skipped Thursday night’s Superprestige Middelkerke to focus on the championship and arrived in Zeddam with a much lighter recent race load than several of his rivals.

Wyseure still leaves with another major result after winning Superprestige Middelkerke three days earlier. His silver also improves on the bronze medal he won at the 2025 European Championships.

Vanthourenhout had a much harder afternoon. The dropped chain cost him at the moment Nys was beginning to force the selection, and he eventually finished 22nd at 2:58. That left Nys, Wyseure and Vandeputte to carry Belgium through the closing laps and complete the first three places.

European Cyclocross Championships elite men 2026 result