"I think this was my favorite race of the season and one of my best" - Eli Iserbyt victorious in Troyes and into World Cup leader's jersey

Eli Iserbyt stormed to what was perhaps his best performance of the season today. The Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal rider punctured int he first lap of the World Cup race in Troyes, but rode through the field and took his first big victory of the season on French grounds.

“I think this was my favorite race of the season and one of my best. I had very good legs. It was a shame I had a flat tire on the first lap, but I kept pushing," Iserbyt shared in a post-race interview. "Lars rode a very good race, so I'm happy that I could take the win.”

Iserbyt, as did Ryan Kamp, both suffered punctures early in the race but ultimately had good legs as it was visible. “After that it was difficult to pass some of the guys, but when I was able to ride my own lines and pace, I felt pretty good," he continued. After that, the Belgian managed to catch up with Lars van der Haar, and in similar fashion to how Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado won the women's race, immediately put the pressure on.

As we would go on to find out later, that was the idea tactic. Iserbyt was the strongest on the day, and the gap he created right away led to the victory. "Lars was a difficult opponent. I was happy to close the gap. When he switched bikes, I knew I had to be in the front to ride my own lines. I wanted to put pressure on him so he would make mistakes.”

This triumph has also led him to the lead of the World Cup. He overtook van der Haar by 1 point, however the Dutch champion will skip a few races which ensures Iserbyt more space.

“Still, there are still ten races, I think. So it's still early. But I'm happy to take over the leader's jersey and that I can start in Dublin next week," he finishes. "It will be a tough weekend, but with the white jersey it is always nice to go abroad.”