Thibau Nys Wins Koppenbergcross Despite Two Crashes
An Impressive Comeback
Thibau Nys won the 2026 Koppenbergcross on November 1 in Oudenaarde, Belgium. However, his victory was far from easy.
The Belgian rider crashed twice during the race and at one point found himself around 30 seconds behind the leader. Nys refused to give up, gradually closed the gap and entered the final lap alongside Michael Vanthourenhout.
The two riders battled until the final climb. Nys then made his move on the steep, cobbled Koppenberg and crossed the finish line first.
Koppenbergcross 2026 Results
Thibau Nys – 1:01:31
Michael Vanthourenhout – +7 seconds
Gerben Kuypers – +42 seconds
With this result, Nys secured his third Koppenbergcross victory, following his wins in 2023 and 2025.
The race also marked the Belgian rider's first cyclocross appearance of the 2026–2027 season.
In the women's race, Lucinda Brand took the victory.
Despite two crashes, Nys delivered a remarkable performance and made a strong start to his new cyclocross campaign.
