Photo via Cyclingnews

X2O Trofee Oudenaarde: Thibau Nys wins Koppenbergcross after heated battle with Michael Vanthourenhout

Thibau Nys kicked off his 2026-27 cyclo-cross campaign with a hard-fought victory at the Koppenbergcross in Oudenaarde. Despite suffering multiple crashes and falling behind by half a minute, Nys clawed his way back to challenge Michael Vanthourenhout, eventually overtaking him on the final climb to secure his third win at this event.

Gerben Kuypers completed the podium, finishing 42 seconds behind the winner. Following the race, Nys noted that while his physical condition is strong, he needs to refine his technical performance before the upcoming European Championships.

Earlier in the race, Victor van de Putte set a fast pace that caused significant disruption, while Pim Ronhaar and Cameron Mason also featured in the top results.

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