SVEN NYS

You have to admire Sven Nys. Sven who? The 34-year old Belgian is one of the greatest ever cyclo-cross riders, the winter sport that sees madmen cycling and running through rain, mud, slush, snow and sand, usually in freezing temperatures. Just watching it is enough to make you want to crawl back under the duvet. Imagine having to clean your bike afterwards.

Nys has been champion of Belgium, the sport's heartland, no less than seven times, including five of the last six years. He also has countless victories at the World Cup, Superprestige Series and GvA Trophy, the other main events. All in all, he has won over 300 races, which is more than impressive. The main blot on his C.V. is the world championship, which he has won only once (though he has been close on a number of other occasions).

This season has seen a battle royal between Nys and the Czech Zdenek Stybar, who won the world championship this year on home turf, with Nys finishing third. Stybar was first out of the blocks, winning most of the early races, before tendonitis in his left knee demanded an enforced rest. Since then, Nys has taken over, and he has now won 10 times. It's an impressive record for someone who is getting on in years.

Anyway, in the midst of this miserably cold weather, hats off to him.

Walter Blotscher