"There is always some healthy stress, just like the first day of school" - Iserbyt reflects on Cyclocross season opener
Cyclocross
Despite having to settle for 2nd place behind his teammate Michael Vanthourenhout, Eli Iserbyt was upbeat when reflecting on the start of the Cyclocross season at the Exact Cross Kruibeke.
Starting the season on a slippery course, the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal rider admitted that even though he is the current UCI Cyclocross World Cup champion, he still gets pre-race butterflies, “There is always some healthy stress, just like the first day of school" he confessed.
Concerns over a potential back injury meant that the 24-year-old Belgian didn't have an ideal preparation. Iserbyt revealed as much, saying “I've been struggling with my back, so I'm a bit behind until mid-July. In the summer I tried to make up for that, but we always have to wait and see how that pays off. So far the feeling is ok and my back is not bothering me, I am satisfied with that.”
It was a great weekend for the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal team, a one-two finish in the men's elite race was aided by finishes of 1st and 3rd in the women's race from Fem van Empel and Denise Betsema respectively.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Iserbyt moest er even inkomen tijdens eerste cross: “Maar tevreden met hoe ik finishte” wielerflits.nl/nieuws/iserbyt… #veldrijden #cross #exactcrosskruibeke #eliiserbyt
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