Having suffered from illness, Sven Nys delivered a below-par performance in the two cross races last weekend. The Belgian will be at the start at both races this weekend but he goes into the events with modest ambitions.

Sven Nys won’t adjust his race schedule. After his cold and double off-day last weekend, his condition and state of health has been assessed. It was decided that Nys will start both the World Cup race in Milton Keynes and the Flandriencross this weekend.

"But after last weekend, he will be there with modest ambitions," coach Paul van den Bosch told Het Nieuwsblad. "In the World Cup he doesn’t have to defend his position in the standings. Above all, he needs to have a good feeling about his race there. In Hamme, he is the leader of the Bpost Bank Trofee and will try to defend his position. But there it is not about the placing but about time and so his main focus will be to limit his losses.”