Eli Iserbyt shows off "110 percent" form to take lead at CX World Cup

Eli Iserbyt won the World Cup and Superprestige in the past season, and he has entered the main competitions at the 2022-2023 on fire, taking a strong and convincing win in the opening round of the World Cup in Waterloo.

The Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal riders were the main favourites to take the win, and Iserbyt took command of the race from early on. He got a gap on the second lap, and little did his rivals know he was never to be caught again. In a fast track where tactics and slipstreaming had a role, he took off early and managed to anticipate the sharp acceleration that Laurens Sweeck had shortly after, in order to keep his lead and then maintain it throughout the race.

“It was good to ride alone. I had a gap, and Laurens kept the pressure really high, so I had to push until the end, but I’m happy with my form and happy with the win," Iserbyt said after the race, as he took hold of the lead of the World Cup.

He managed to hold off his former teammate, with Lars van der Haar riding into third place. "This was a plan, but you have to have very good legs and be at 110 percent, and I think that was the case," he said of his risky attack.

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"It was Plan A, but I had other plans so I’m really happy that I could succeed," he concluded. Next weekend will see the riders back in Fayeteville - where Tom Pidcock won the World Championships last year - for a second World Cup round. His teammate on the women's side Fem van Empel equaled his result, giving the team total dominance of the cup for now.