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Superprestige Diegem winner Sven Nys pays tribute to long-time bike sponsor Colnago as he walks across the finish line (Image credit: Photopress.be)
Belgian champion Sven Nys takes the victory at the Grand Prix de la Région Wallonne in Dottignies, Belgium on October 11, 2008 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys outsprints Niels Albert to win the World Cup round in Kalmthout, Belgium on October 19, 2008 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys wins the 2009 Belgian national championship ahead of Niels Albert in Ruddervoorde (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys powers through the sand in Ruddervoorde, Belgium en route to the sixth Belgian national championship of his career on January 11, 2009 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys celebrates victory at Parkcross in Maldegem, Belgium on February 4, 2009 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys wins the final round of the 2008-09 Superprestige series in Vorselaar, Belgium and earns the overall title for the ninth time in his career (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys prevails in a snowy editon of the Kalmthout World Cup round on December 20, 2009 (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys celebrates the 50th Superprestige victory on his career in Gieten, Belgium on November 29, 2009 (Image credit: AFP)
It's Belgian title number seven for Sven Nys in January, 2010 at Oostmalle (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys en route to the seventh Belgian 'cross title of his career on a frozen parcours in Oostmalle on January 10, 2010 (Image credit: AFP)
Belgium's Sven Nys bunny hops barriers during the 2010 'cross world championship in Tabor, Czech Republic. Nys would win the bronze medal behind Zdenek Stybar and Klaas Vantornout. (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys wins the first European 'cross race of the 2010-11 season at Steenbergcross in Erpe-Mere, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys wins the Fidea GP Neerpelt on September 26, 2010 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys wins a muddy edition of the World Cup race in Namur, Belgium on December 18, 2011 (Image credit: AFP)
Another day, another victory as Sven Nys wins Druivencross in Overijse, Belgium on December 11, 2011 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys celebrates victory at Scheldecross in Antwerp, Belgium on December 10, 2011 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys en route to victory at the 2011 edition of Jaarmarktcross in Niel, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys wins the 48th edition of the Jaarmarktcross in Niel, Belgium, on November 11, 2011 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys also raced Colnago mountain bikes during his tenure with Landbouwkrediet (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys chats with Ernesto Colnago at the Landbouwkrediet-Credit Agricole team presentation in Brussels, Belgium in February, 2011. (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys competes at the Azencross race in Loenhout, Belgium on December 29, 2010 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys prevails at the 2012 Belgian cyclo-cross championship, the eighth national title of his career (Image credit: AFP)
One day after winning the 2012 Belgian national championship, Sven Nys competes at Cyclocross Otegem (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys outsprints Tom Meeusen (obscured) and Marcel Meisen to win the 2012 GP Stad Eeklo 'cross race (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys outsprints world champion Niels Albert at the 2012 edition of the Versluys Ereprijs Paul Herygers in Bredene, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys is all alone on the finishing straight as he wins the sixth round of the 2012-13 World Cup in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys solos to victory at the 2012 edition of the GP De Ster in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys adds another Druivencross victory to his palmares on December 9, 2012 (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys celebrates victory in the third World Cup round, contested at Koksijde, Belgium on November 24, 2012 (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys celebrates victory at Superprestige Zonhoven on November 4, 2012 (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys wins the Koppenbergcross for the ninth time on November 1, 2012 (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys (L) outsprints world champion Niels Albert sprint for the victory at the Vlaamse Industrieprijs Bosduin race, in Kalmthout, Belgium on September 30, 2012 (Image credit: AFP)
Belgian champion Sven Nys celebrates as he wins the GvA series 'cross race in Essen, Belgium, on December 11, 2010 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys wins the fifth round of 2013 bpost bank trofee series in Loenhout, Belgium in late December - one of the final 'cross races of 2013 (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys powers through the sand en route to victory at the 2013 edition of the GP Stad Eeklo (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys prevails at the G.P. Stad Eeklo in February, 2013 (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys wins the seventh round of the Superprestige series at Hoogstraten, Belgium in February, 2013 (Image credit: AFP)
Four days after winning the 2013 'cross world championship in Louisville, Kentucky, Sven Nys races for the first time in the rainbow jersey in Maldegem, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
Three days after winning the 2013 cyclo-cross world championship in Louisville, Kentucky, Sven Nys shows off the rainbow jersey at a celebration in his hometown of Baal, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys and family at a press conference in Belgium after Nys won the second elite 'cross world championship of his career in February, 2013 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys won the second elite cyclo-cross world title of is career in February, 2013 and speaks to the Belgian media after returning home from the Worlds venue in Louisville, Kentucky (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys has returned to his native Belgium and conducts a press conference three days after winning the 2013 cyclo-cross world championship (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys is an ambassador for cyclo-cross and does his part to help the sport cultivate new champions (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys wins a muddy edition of the GP Mario De Clerq in October, 2013 - the opening round of the season's bport bank trofee series (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys wins the Vlaamse Druivencross iin Overijse, Belgium in December, 2013 (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys in action at the Koksidje, Belgium round of the World Cup in November, 2013 (Image credit: AFP)
In November, 2013 Sven Nys was awarded the 'Kristallen Fiets 2013' by Het Laatste News as their choice for best cyclist of the 2013 season (Image credit: AFP)
Sven Nys triumphs at the fourth round of the Superprestige series in Asper-Gavere Belgium in November, 2013 (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys shoulders his custom-painted Colnago during the 2013 Jaarmarktcross in Niel, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys prevails in Niel, Belgium at the 2013 edition of the Jaarmarktcross (Image credit: AFP)
The thrill of victory for world champion Sven Nys and the agony of defeat for runner-up Niels Albert at the 2013 edition of Superprestige Zonhoven (Image credit: AFP)
World champions Sven Nys in action at the 2013 edition of the famed Koppenbergcross (Image credit: AFP)
World champion Sven Nys goes head-to-head with compatriot Niels Albert during the 2013 bpost bank trofee event in Loenhout, Belgium (Image credit: AFP)
On Sunday, December 29 at Superprestige Diegem , Sven Nys brought to a poignant conclusion his lengthy association with the Colnago bicycle brand. The reigning world champion took command of the sixth Superprestige round, the final 'cross race of 2013, on the opening lap and would solo to victory 20 seconds ahead of Tom Meeusen, who remarked that he "saw all the stars in the sky" while trying, ultimately in vain, to hold Nys' wheel. Niels Albert, winner of the past four Superprestige rounds in Diegem, placed third at 45 seconds.
Nys has ridden Colnago bicycles since his early days as a professional with Rabobank, and that brand relationship continued through to the present when Nys moved to the Belgian Landbouwkrediet squad mid-way through the 2008 season. The Belgian team, run under the Crelan-Euphony moniker in 2013, has had a long-term association with the Colnago brand as well but the team's existence unfortunately came to a conclusion this fall after a 25-year run . While the road team's final race took place at China's Tour of Taihu in early November, Nys and several teammates continued to represent the team through the remainder of 2013 on the cyclo-cross circuit of which Nys is the current world champion in the discipline.
Nys and company's final race in Crelan kit, and on the team's Colnagos, took place in Diegem, Belgium today with the 37-year-old Belgian bringing the curtain down on his relationship with the Colnago brand in fine fashion. With the race comfortably won, Nys dismounted just prior to the finish line, held his Colnago aloft and kissed it, then proceeded to walk across the line to claim victory. "It's a worthy way of thanking and saying goodbye to the people I worked with for fifteen years, thanking the team and manager Gérard Bulens who says farewell to the sport," said Nys. Come January 1 at his eponymous GP Sven Nys in Baal, Belgium, the world champion will move on to the Trek brand.
Nys has been a prolific winner on the 'cross circuit, and the Belgian's tally of victories continued its steady profusion during his tenure with the Landbouwkrediet organisation. Click on the gallery from AFP 's archives for a selection of Nys's finest moments with his Belgian team.