When the cyclo-cross world championships took place in Luxembourg a couple of weeks ago, there was one notable absence from the list of starters: there was no Sven Nys, the legend of the sport who had dominated it for the best part of two decades. With two world championships, seven world cups and over 140 competitive victories to his name, he’s widely regarded as one of the greatest cyclo-cross racers of his generation and of all time.