For the first time in a while, Sven Nys missed the podium in a major race when he had to settle for fourth at the Zilvermeercross in Mol.

"I had a slow start, but that was perhaps to be expected," Nys told Het Nieuwsblad. "On Friday I had done very little intensity in my training and then you are always a bit off the pace in the first 2-3 laps. I did not want to force anything and felt that I got better lap by lap. I am very satisfied with my race.

"Now it is all about recovery for tomorrow. That was always on my mind. You want to win but when that does not work, you immediately start to focus on the upcoming races. You can lay the foundations for tomorrow. There we will have a serious race. But I found a good rhythm at the end of the race, and that's a good sign."