Sven will not participate in today's European Championships in Huijbergen. The 39-year old Belgian is sick and has been forced to skip the race.

"After a miserable night I will not start the European Championships today," he tweeted this morning.

Today's race is the first elite men's European Championships ever and so offered Nys a rare chance to add a new title to his impressive palmares. As he is set to retire at the end of the season, it was his only opportunity to win the European champion's jersey.