Eli Iserbyt hopes injury won't impact his winter schedule, Hulst World Cup will be decisive: "A change of calendar is possible afterwards"

Eli Iserbyt is going to participate in the Hulst World Cup despite his injury. The Belgian admits he's in no shape to race but also has a ray of hope that everything will turn during the week with a bit of rehabilitation and a brief period of rest.

After the X2O cross in Herentals, Eli Iserbyt was once again troubled by Piriformis syndrome. This is a pinched nerve in his left leg. The Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal rider nevertheless started in Namur, but had to abandon the second half of the race due to the injury.

Iserbyt has been struggling with the injury for three years, which sometimes rears its head. "It is now especially important to do exercises with the physiotherapist and to avoid heavy exertion. Especially walking uphill has an effect on the nerve pain," says Eli Iserbyt in a press release from his team. On Monday morning he went to the hospital for a check-up.

Next weekend Iserbyt should normally be at the start during the World Cup round in Hulst (Netherlands). He hopes that this week will bring improvement. "Hulst will be a benchmark. If the pain continues afterwards, a change of calendar is possible." If things don't progress smoothly, the Belgian champion might need to sacrifice some items from his schedule in order to recover.