Eli Iserbyt expects new rivals as cyclocross season approaches: "I think it's exciting"

Eli Iserbyt, the reigning Cyclocross World Cup champion, is gearing up for the upcoming season with cautious optimism. The 26-year-old Belgian rider, who has already earned two bronze medals at the Cyclocross World Championships in 2022 and 2023, believes that new challenges await him as he prepares to defend his title. Iserbyt has faced some of the sport's biggest names, finishing behind the unstoppable Mathieu van der Poel in recent years.

As an experienced rider, Iserbyt is fully aware that the competition will be tough this year. Ahead of his participation in the Gravel World Championships last week, he spoke to WielerFlits about his form heading into the cyclocross season. “My condition should already be good. Of course, I focused on the cyclocross in training, where you only get to compete for an hour. A 180-kilometre Gravel World Championship is something completely different. I’m not going to take any risks, although that might be different when I’m in the race,” he explained.

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When asked about his evolving role in the cyclocross scene, Iserbyt acknowledged that he's no longer one of the younger competitors. "I don't want to call myself old yet, but I'm not part of the youth anymore. So, I think it's exciting. On the other hand, it's also cool, because it's no longer up to me to be the up-and-coming man. I'll have to defend my place and win as many races as possible. I think that's a cool challenge."

Reflecting on the potential competition from two of cyclocross's biggest names, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, Iserbyt offered his insights. “Given Wout's injury, I think he might race a bit faster to get into rhythm,” he noted.

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"As for Mathieu, he's had a busy season on the road. So he might be a little less inclined to go back to cyclocross soon,” he added, hinting that his rivals' schedules could open opportunities for others to shine.

As the cyclocross season draws near, Iserbyt looks ready to face both familiar and new challenges head-on, with the goal of defending his title and continuing his winning ways.