Eli Iserbyt extends X2O Trofee lead despite racing with a broken shoe - "In any case, it was a successful day"
Cyclocross
Cyclocross sees races that can be changed in the blink of an eye. That could've happened yesterday at the X2O Trofee Koksijde where cup leader Eli Iserbyt broke a shoe early in the race, but the Belgian rode to fourth and even extended his lead despite the adversities.
“One of my two shoes broke in the second lap. Then I thought: shit, the standings,” Iserbyt said in the post-race interview. “If you change those shoes, you lose a lot of time. I put it off every lap because I wanted to stay with Lars anyway. My foot kept popping out when I walked. It wasn't ideal, but I'm still very happy with the result."
Iserbyt couldn't keep up with the front group fighting for victory, but his target was in the Dutch champion's wheel. Iserbyt managed to keep the pace of van der Haar, and ride to a close fourth place at the end of the day only seconds behind Mathieu van der Poel and Laurens Sweeck.
"It was a bit of a mess in the beginning. From the moment the shoe shot off, there was some panic. But luckily they are good shoes and you can continue riding with one shoe," the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal rider continued.
“The first three were soon too far away. In the first lap I was more in my head with my shoe and I lost some places. But I'm happy with the race. I also rode fairly well through the sand for my doing, I also worked on my relaxation technique in the sand. In any case, it was a successful day," Iserbyt concluded.
Iserbyt now holds 1:36 minutes over Lars van der Haar. By no means a safe lead, but a bigger one than the one he started the day with. The cup still has three more rounds in Hamme, Lille and Brussels where the standings will be decided.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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4️⃣th for @IserbytEli after a tough battle with Lars in the sand of Koksijde.💪🏼 Well done!👏🏼 #FightToTheFinish 📸 Photopress.be
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