“It is important to stay alert” - Eli Iserbyt cautiously optimistic about World Cup overall victory
Cyclocross
Going into the final round of the UCI World Cup in Hoogerheide this weekend, series leader Eli Iserbyt is remaining cautiously optimistic about claiming the overall title, despite having a 34-point lead in the standings over his nearest contender Joris Nieuwenhuis.
Iserbyt needs to score just seven points in the final round to make it mathematically impossible for him to lose the title. However, he is not relaxing just yet, as in an interview with WielerFlits he stated that “you certainly shouldn't sit back. You're not allowed to fall asleep. It is important to stay alert”. The Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal rider banged his bars as he crossed the finish line in Benidorm, knowing he hadn't yet confirmed his victory, but unless something out of the ordinary happens this upcoming weekend, he will confirm his second cup win of the season - following the Superprestige.
With Mathieu van der Poel set to line up on Sunday, Iserbyt is quietly confident about his chances, as he went on to say “for me it is good that Mathieu is participating in Hoogerheide. Realistically, the first forty points are then gone”.
Having won last year’s World Championships in Hoogerheide, as well as five World Cup races there throughout his career, Van der Poel is the nailed-on favourite for Sunday’s race and Nieuwenhuis will have his work cut out if he hopes to snatch the series victory away from Iserbyt this weekend.
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- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling for
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Because for you deviated implies the other rider MUST have been made to fall and fail to finish ??? I don’t know if you ride a bike but next time someone carves you up or drives dangerously close, just hold back from those feelings of changing something, reporting or filming or even complaining. Everyone will just say, hey you’re still here undamaged, doesn’t seem like anyone did anything.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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From Belgian mud 🇧🇪 to Spanish sun 🇪🇸, @vth_michael 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬, winning in Zonnebeke and finishing second after a crazy race in Benidorm!🤩👊🏼🔥 #FightToTheFinish 📸 Photopress / JoelVierin
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