Nys enjoys a super weekend

Sven Nys proved he is still the fastest finisher in cyclo-cross, winning the third round of the World Cup in Belgium and then just 24 hours later the fifth round of the Superprestige Series in the Netherlands.

Nys beat Kevin Pauwels to win both races. The first sprint was marked by controversy, with Pauwels lamenting he had been squeezed against the barriers. But race officials reviewed the sprint and confirmed Nys as the winner.

Just 24 hours later, the two clashed again on a muddy course in Gieten, Belgium. After a fast start, Nys changed his Colnago bike mid-race to have better grip on the corners. He then powered clear, with only Pauwels able to hold his wheel, but he did not have the speed to beat Nys in the final sprint.

“Pauwels drew level with me, but I could sense that he wouldn’t be able to keep going even if I was sprinting at full gas into the headwind,” an emotional Nys said after being congratulated by his nine-year-old son Tibeau.