Eli Iserbyt endured a difficult day at the Cyclocross World
Cup Namur, which was won by his teammate Michael Vanthourenhout.
Representing
Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal, Iserbyt was forced to abandon the race
after completing just three laps, following a painful reoccurring injury.
Iserbyt’s team boss, Jürgen Mettepenningen,
provided an
update on the Belgian rider’s condition after the race to Nieuwsblad.
"He had a lot of pain in his buttock, it's nerve
pain," Mettepenningen explained, revealing that the issue is a recurrence
of an injury that plagued Iserbyt last season. “It’s a nasty injury,” he added.
“It was good for a while, but now he’s having problems again. It’s the same
injury as last year. A muscle puts pressure on a nerve and that causes a lot of
pain. As long as he can cycle, it’s okay, but once he starts walking, it
becomes too much.”
Mettepenningen admitted that there is no immediate solution
to the problem, and Iserbyt’s recovery will hinge on ongoing treatment and
patience.
"It now has to be treated by the physiotherapist and
then we hope for improvement. Hopefully time will turn," said the team
boss, underlining the uncertainty of when Iserbyt might be back to full
fitness.
This injury comes as a significant blow for Iserbyt, who has
been a
consistent performer so far this year. The Belgian star now faces the challenge of managing his
injury while staying competitive during the busy winter season.