Sven Nys
Nys at the 2005 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships.
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Sven Nys | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname |
The Cannibal from Baal (Dutch) De Kannibaal van Baal |
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| Born |
17 June 1976 Bonheiden, Belgium |
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| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 72 kg (159 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | Telenet–Fidea Lions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Cyclo-cross Mountain bike Road |
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| Role | Rider (retired) Team manager |
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| Amateur team(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Crelan–AA Drink | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Professional team(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2008 | Rabobank | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2013 | Landbouwkrediet–Tönissteiner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial team(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016– | Telenet–Fidea Lions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major wins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Sven Nys (Dutch: [ˈsfɛn ˈnɛi̯s]; born 17 June 1976) is a former professional cyclist competing in cyclo-cross and mountainbike. With two world championships, seven world cups, and over 140 competitive victories, he is widely considered one of the greatest cyclo-cross racers of his generation and of all time, and remains a prominent figure in cyclo-cross. Apart from cyclo-cross, Nys is also fivefold national mountainbike champion, and has competed in that discipline in two Olympic games.
Born in Bonheiden, Belgium, Nys began racing BMX at the age of 8. He won eight BMX national titles before switching to cyclocross, a more popular sport in Belgium. He won the under-23 world championship in 1997 and 1998, beating another Belgian, Bart Wellens. Nys moved to the elite category in 1998–1999, joining the Dutch Rabobank team.
In the élite class he won the Superprestige competition and came third in the national championships. The next season he won the Superprestige again, ended the World Cup as leader and became Belgian champion. This made him favourite for the 2000 world championship. But his Rabobank management told him not to beat his team-mate, the Dutchman Richard Groenendaal. Groenendaal sprinted away from the start and Nys was forced to hold back and not help another Belgian, Mario De Clercq, chase him. Groenendaal won and Nys, who came third, was criticised in Belgium for choosing team over country. The Royal Belgian Cycling League demanded an explanation. It became more forgiving but the head coach, Erik De Vlaeminck, remained unconvinced.
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