Eli Iserbyt aims at World Championships following promising performance in Benidorm: "I'm very happy with how I felt today"

Eli Iserbyt has been having a roller-coaster season this winter. One of the highs was this weekend's Benidorm World Cup where for the first time in his career, he featured in the podium with Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Now he's looking to keep the good run of form going.

"I am very satisfied," the Belgian said in a post-race interview. He finished third, only seconds away from race winner Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. The fast Spanish race saw Iserbyt in favourable terrain, and showing good form he was able to be the closest rival to the two main favourites for the World Championships.

"I was lucky that the pace dropped a bit in the penultimate lap, so I was able to rejoin. Before the final lap I also knew that I had to pass the last climb in third if I wanted to finish on the podium. I narrowly succeeded," he said, after a race that has seen plenty attacks from multiple riders.

"Anyway, I'm very happy with how I felt today. It was a nice cross, with a nice atmosphere," Iserbyt concluded. The Besançon World Cup will be a good target next week, and in two weeks he'll aim to fight for the rainbow stripes in Hoogerheide. In the midst of all the racing, he continues to be the leader of the X2O Trofee and is within reach of success in the Superprestige Cup.