"If he indeed has a chronic problem, then he will no longer deliver a high performance" - Niels Albert on Eli Iserbyt

Eli Iserbyt has had a storming start to the season but is having a tough time in recent weeks. In Maasmechelen a crash took him out of the victory contention, and in Namur he abandoned with leg pain - which at a time seemed to be affecting him during yesterday's race in Niel. His statements lead to harsh comments from former cyclocross star Niels Albert.

“How would Iserbyt feel after Sunday, I wonder. I hear he has a back problem again. You almost have to believe it when you look at the results of the last few weeks," Albert told Het Laatste Nieuws. "Iserbyt won in Ruddervoorde, the cross that mattered least to him. Maasmechelen, the Koppenberg and the European Championship were what he bet on. He didn't win any of that."

Albert's reaction to Iserbyt's injuries was mixed, but has suggested that he would take an office job. No doubt there is a lot of friction within the Belgian cyclocross bubble, with the World Cup leader surely having his own critics. “It is now up to Eli to communicate himself about his back problems. If he indeed has a chronic problem, then he will no longer deliver a high performance," Albert - twice World Champion in the past - continued. 

In the second Superprestige round in Niel Iserbyt seemed to be in big trouble, losing many positions and time in a short space of time with no apparent reason, reigniting fears of an injury that could derail his commitments to the three cups he's eyeing. However, he bounced back to finish fourth, losing the lead of the cup (to Laurens Sweeck) but remaining in contention for it.