Eli Iserbyt on beating Van der Poel: "Every year I think it might be possible. Then you are on his wheel for two minutes and you think: never mind. I'll try again next year"

Eli Iserbyt has again been one of the stars of the early cyclocross season this winter, adding three victories to his palmares, including last weekend's World Cup opener in Antwerp. With the return of the world champion Mathieu van der Poel looming though, for how much longer can Iserbyt remain in the winner's circle.

"I am definitely looking forward to that," the Belgian national champion previews of Van der Poel's return in conversation with Eurosport's Kop over Kop podcast. "But we should not be mistaken. I think that Mathieu and Wout van Aert's form is ahead of the way things are being ridden now. Every year I think that it might be possible (to beat them ed.). Then you are on his wheel for two minutes and then you think: never mind. I'll try again next year."

After a rocky early season spell that included controversy with both fellow riders and spectators, Iserbyt has really started coming into form lately, taking two victories last weekend, including the aforementioned World Cup winning in Antwerp. "In the races themselves it was okay, but my condition was a bit worse than in previous years. It was a search for a better feeling," he recalls of the early winter. "Since this weekend I actually think it was more about confidence than about feeling. The condition was better in every race than the results suggested."

And with the new rules regarding the UCI World Cup this year, could the Belgian be well placed to reap the spoils. "I like it in itself, because until last year we were stuck with the four permanent names. They were Michael Vanthourenhout, Laurens Sweeck, Lars van der Haar and myself. There was a need for renewal and rejuvenation," he explains. "Now, for the first time in five years, a new generation is breaking through. For the public, it is great that new names have been added."