Kannibaal speaks of emotional outpouring after reclaiming his driekleur; expresses concern over health of old rival Bart Wellens
The post-race party thrown for Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) in his hometown of Baal reportedly kept the newly restored Belgian champion up past midnight, according to Het Laatste Nieuws, but the Kannibaal was up still at 7am to prepare for today’s race in Otegem. The title race victory was Nys’ twelfth of the season so far, in a career that has seen him take more than two hundred, but the usually cool 35-year-old could be seen with his face in his hands; in floods of tears in the post-race area.
“This is the first time that I’ve seen so many journalists and television crews gathered at a press conference after the Belgian championships,” he joked before the Otegem race. “Also for me it is taking a little getting used to.
"The last title race will probably stay with me forever. I’ve never wept so hard after a victory, it was a whole load of emotions that I let go.”
Nys was almost a non-starter in Hooglede-Gits on Sunday; after waking up with a blocked back he managed to consult a local doctor, but still rode the race in some pain.
“Sunday morning I was still in sackcloth and ashes, my back was completely trapped,” he explained. “I was in a panic and even thought that I couldn’t start. Finally, I was able to fall back on a fantastic group of people, who ensured that everything came out fine.”
Retaking the black, yellow and red jersey is Nys’ eighth Belgian title in his career so far; he is now just two short of the absolute record though, taken consecutively by Roland Liboton between 1980 and 1989, but doesn’t want to look that far ahead just yet.
“Liboton’s record of ten titles?” he asked. “First I’ll attempt to achieve a ninth title, then we'll see…"
The Belgian championships were overshadowed by two-time champion Bart Wellens (Telenet-Fidea) being rushed to hospital with heart problems during the night before the race. Nys and Wellens were big rivals for most of the last decade, dividing the support of the Belgian crowds between them, and the two of them remain close.
Needless to say, Nys was concerned greatly over his old adversary’s condition.
"I had Bart Wellens on the line after the race,” he said. “I was really relieved that he’s getting better."
"A blocked back is nothing compared to someone who is fighting for his life,” he continued. “Bart and I have been through a lot together; we were great together; I told him a few days ago with a smile that he'd better stay away from Hooglede because he never had much luck there."
The incident to which Nys referred occurred in the 2007 World championships, on a similar course on the same venue, as Wellens and Nys were both looking strong and riding together at the head of the race. The quad bike of a following TV cameraman knocked a large plastic barrier into Wellens’ path, and the then Belgian champion crashed and fractured his wrist; Nys hit his sliding bike and also came down.
In testament to the toughness of Nys’ big rival that day though, he went on to finish fourth, just 25 seconds behind compatriot Erwin Vervecken. Nys himself seemed far more shaken and, after crashing several more times in uncharacteristically clumsy fashion, slumped to eleventh.
Today Belgium; tomorrow the Worlds
The 2007 incident took place the last time the World championships were held on Belgian soil, but they are returning to the country in just a few weeks’ time. Rather than the mud of central Flanders though, the race will be held in the sand dunes of the north coast, in Koksijde, the venue of the November Duinencross World Cup race.
Nys has won the Duinencross on five occasions; the first time in 1999 before it became part of the World Cup, and the latest just six weeks ago.
Despite his absolute dominance of cyclocross for most of the current century, Nys has just one senior rainbow jersey to his name, taken in Sankt Wendel, Germany, in 2005. Naturally, he always starts the race as one of the big favourites, but this year – with the race on the Koksijde dunes – he will be even more so.
"If I ever want to be world champion, the greatest opportunity would be in Koksijde,” he recognised. “The course suits me really well.
“I'm going to retire as a 38-year-old whatever, he said. “Since there are other things in life besides cyclocross, but I want my career end in beauty.
“Many see in me the absolute top favourite for the victory in Koksijde, but don’t forget Zdenek Stybar and in our own Belgian camp, there are formidable candidates who are worthy of the rainbow jersey," added Nys.
While cyclocross is a highly solo event, like most branches of the sport teammates are still very important. For Nys to take the World title in Koksijde he would like the national coach to select his friend, namesake, and Landbouwkrediet teammate Sven Vanthourenhout, even though his personal results are not as good as some others.
"Of course I want the best conditions for the day at the World championships, which is why I would very much like to have teammate Sven Vanthourenhout in the selection,” he explained. “He is like some kind of support and refuge for me, and in recent weeks he has performed really well. Maybe they will only look at the rankings, but at a championship you need some protected spearheads instead of seven winning candidates.
“With Sven Vanthourenhout there I see my chances of winning rising a little," he concluded.
The Otegem race was taken by Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) – who had a disappointing and anonymous Belgian championship – ahead of Sven Vanthourenhout and his cousin Dieter (BKCP-Powerplus). Nys, after his late night, had a day off, and finished in a happy fifth place.