"Thibau Nys, set to debut in the Tour de France, faces questions about his readiness, but Lidl-Trek team remains optimistic"
## Thibau Nys' Tour de France Debut: Ambition, Uncertainty, and Promising Stages
Thibau Nys, the 22-year-old cyclist from Belgium, is set to make his Tour de France debut with Lidl-Trek, marking a significant milestone in his rapidly ascending career. Despite a challenging preparation period, Nys remains determined to make an impact in the prestigious race.
### Preparation Challenges
Nys' journey to the Tour de France has been marked by a series of hurdles, including illness and a training crash. He was forced to withdraw from the Baloise Belgium Tour due to illness, affecting his morale before the Grand Départ. Furthermore, an accident during an altitude camp earlier in his training compounded his difficulties in preparing for the race[1][2].
### Ambition and Uncertainty
Despite these setbacks, Nys expressed his excitement for his debut but admitted that he is less confident than he had initially hoped. His team, however, remains confident in his abilities, emphasizing that he is not in the Tour to learn but to deliver[2][4].
### Promising Stages
Nys has identified several stages in the first week of the Tour de France as potential opportunities for success. Specifically, he has highlighted stages 2 (Boulogne-sur-Mer), 4 (Rouen), 6 (Vire-Normandie), and 7 (Mûr-de-Bretagne) as good chances for a win[1]. These stages offer a mix of terrain that could suit his skills as an uphill finisher.
### The Competition
Aware of the high level of competition in the Tour de France, Nys acknowledges the need to be at his best to compete with the likes of Tadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel, and other seasoned riders[3]. However, he does not seem overly focused on emulating their success but rather on carving out his own path.
In summary, while Nys faces challenges in terms of preparation and confidence, he and his team are optimistic about his ability to perform well in his first Tour de France. His debut press conference at Lidl-Trek was held near Lille airport, where he spoke about his aspirations and the first 10 days of the race being crucial for his performance[5].
- Nys is unsure of how he stacks up against his Tour de France rivals. - Nys was never initially aiming to participate in the Tour de France, but his talent has prevented him from sticking to his initial plans. - Nys was a fan of Tom Boonen and watched Chris Froome's Mont Ventoux run, but cycling was never a means to any ultimate goal of the Tour for him. - Nys subscribes to Cyclingnews for unrivaled coverage of the Tour de France, including breaking news, analysis, pro tech, live race reports, and a daily subscriber-only newsletter. - Lidl-Trek believes Nys belongs in the Tour de France despite his preparation issues. - Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) is making his Tour de France debut. - Nys's rapid rise to the sport's upper echelons has surpassed his initial expectations of being a cyclocross rider. - Nys' main goal is to survive the Tour and arrive in Paris, with the pressure on Lidl-Trek's sprinter Jonathan Milan to deliver a stage win and yellow jersey. - The first 10 days of the Tour de France will be crucial for Nys. - Nys is targeting stage 6 to Vire Normandie and stage 7 to the Mûr de Bretagne.
Nys acknowledges the high level of competition in the Tour de France as he faces uncertainty about how he stacks up against his rivals. Originally, he wasn't aiming to participate in the Tour de France, but his talent has prevented him from sticking to his initial plans, which involved specializing in cyclocross racing.
