"I got into a bit of a downward spiral" - Eli Iserbyt ends dark period with victorious weekend and World Cup success in Antwerpen
Cyclocross
Eli Iserbyt has had quite the start of the season, being disqualified and then suspended on his very first race in Beringen; being thrown beer at the Koppenbergcross and missing out on any big victory. At the Superprestige and X2O Trofee he is still to raise his arms, but he has succeeded at the World Cup Antwerpen, the first round of the most important competition.
He won the Exact Cross Heerdestrand early in the season, but had a string of secondary results afterwards, which was only broken yesterday at the Urban Cross in Kortrijk where a collective race with Michael Vanthourenhout saw them pull of a one-two. “The condition was actually better than the results reflected. That was frustrating. I got into a bit of a downward spiral. It’s hard to get out of that. If you win yesterday in a kind of home race, that’s liberating," Iserbyt said in a post-race interview.
After succeeding yesterday, the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal riders rode the same tactic today in Antwerpen, and Iserbyt had the legs to really finish the job off. He matched Laurens Sweeck's early attacks, and with a strong attack on lap 4 he made the winning difference as the rest of the field couldn't close it back down.
“I had the feeling that Laurens [Sweeck] rode very well in the sand, but that he had to back off a bit on the straights. Those parts were perhaps more to my advantage," the 27-year old added. It was arguably his strongest performance of the winter so far, and in perfect timing as he also takes over the lead of the World Cup where he was victorious last year.
“It was difficult that I always had to make the track myself on the long stretches. That was to the advantage of the pursuers. The gap became smaller each time. So it was important not to make any mistakes and that worked out very well today. I am happy that a non-sand specialist can win in a sand cross," he concluded.
Read also
🏆 UCI World Cup Antwerpen 🇧🇪
— Cyclocross24.com (@cyclocross24) November 24, 2024
🥇 🇧🇪 Eli Iserbyt
🥈 🇧🇪 Laurens Sweeck
🥉 🇧🇪 Michael Vanthourenhout
4 🇧🇪 Wyseure
5 🇧🇪 Vandeputte
6 🇳🇱 Van der Haar
7 🇳🇱 Ronhaar
8 🇧🇪 To. Aerts
9 🇪🇸 Orts Lloret
10 🇨🇭 Kuhn
#CXWorldCuphttps://t.co/vZSXqcETnX
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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