In the Druivencross Overijse, Sven Nys was a shadow of his usual self. Halfway through the race, the Belgian champion threw in the towel and now the alarm bell is ringing in the Nys camp.

After today's Druivencross in Overijse, Sven Nys refused to talk to the media. "We do not know what's going on," his sports director Jan Verstraeten told Sporza.

"Something has been wrong in recent weeks as Nys is unable to give his maximum. And it has never been as evident as it was today.

"We'll figure out what the problem is. He will undergo blood tests and he must go to the osteopath. Everything must be checked thoroughly.

"This is really not normal. In recent weeks, Sven has clearly indicated that something is wrong. He misses that extra percent of power. Now we have to find the cause. Only then will we know how we can tackle the rest of the season."