Eli Iserbyt explains heartbreaking medical condition: "Cycling and running are impossible, and I probably never will be able to do that again"

This Thursday afternoon, a teary-eyed Eli Iserbyt shared a post on Instagram where he has confirmed that he has ended his career as a professional cyclist. The news come after he sustained meaningful damage to an artery that prevents him from getting on a bike or running, a condition that may be permanent.

It was the worst case scenario for the former Belgian and European champion, who underwent no less than four surgeries since February after having been diagnosed with a pinched nerve at first, and then afterwards a pinched artery as well. These were issues that had hampered him for some time, and he decided to undergo the necessary procedures to try and resolve it in February.

However, it was not possible to heal the health issues that he was diagnosed with. "I didn't want to stop at all; that's not in my nature. But after four surgeries and a long process, the doctors said the medical process had been exhausted. That hit me hard," Iserbyt told Sporza. What he was then told was the confirmation of what had been feared: Iserbyt would not be able to compete again in cycling.

There were hopes that he was going to be able to compete this winter, but in early November the signs were clear that something was wrong when it came to how his body reacted to the effort. "I was given a plan to gradually increase my training load. And when I was allowed to do everything in training again, my condition deteriorated rapidly within a week. Anything above a heart rate of 100 caused tremendous pain in my leg. We immediately started looking for solutions."

"It's just bad luck. Moreover, surgery on an artery is a very serious procedure. The more you cut an artery, the worse the tissue becomes. And I've had that operation four times". He further details the reason why he has decided to leave professional cycling, as he currently has no other option.

"At the moment, I can only walk. Cycling and running are impossible, and I probably never will be able to do that again because the artery in my left leg is so badly damaged," he reveals. "I think that's a real shame."

The 28-year old has conquered much of what there was in cyclocross, however could never conquer a world title and ultimately had no control over the end of his career. Throughout the entire year of 2025 he found himself in a dark place. "The uncertainty was eating away at me. I stopped sleeping, I shut myself off, and I stopped living. Fortunately, during my career, I've found a team that supports me tremendously. I think that's what's saving me right now."

"My sport had become my life's work. That life is now disappearing, forcing me to find my way again. That's really tough. All I can say is that I put my passion, character, and perseverance into it. That has given me so much, and I'm incredibly grateful for it."

It will take some time before Iserbyt finds his ground once again, potentially in the world of cycling. However being an athlete, or even a coach, seems like a very unlikely scenario.

"Just because the course is gone doesn't mean I no longer have my ambition and character. I believe I can find that in a vision or role. But I think it's still far too early to think about that. First, I want to take stock".