Two years ago, Nys was in the selection for the European Championship on the road with the promises. At a press conference he had to explain his role within the team.
“I said that I was given a free role, that I could help my teammates where necessary, but if push came to shove, my card would be drawn in the sprint. I was the fastest in our ‘climbing team’, but I didn’t say in all of Belgium or in everyone,” he says in the Gossip Guy podcast.
The next day the newspaper said ‘Thibau Nys : ‘I am the fastest Belgian’. He received a lot of negative reactions, but reporting to Facebook had no effect. He felt powerless.
He was clearly not appreciated for being open and honest. He was angry with the newspapers and journalists who told his story differently.
“I have a lot of respect for them, but the sensational journalists are the bad apples in the whole story. They can create your image, which you actually don’t have at all. In the racing world I have a fairly outspoken personality compared to other modest riders and that may be slowing down, because you no longer dare to say anything wrong.”
