"It’s much more than just pulling a tooth" – Eli Iserbyt opens up about his grueling recovery

Belgian cyclocross star Eli Iserbyt has not been able to participate in the first races of the 2025-2026 season, as he is still recovering from multiple surgeries on his iliac artery. He already suffered nerve pain in his left leg last season, and he has not been able to compete since February.

Iserbyt shared his recovery progress in comments gathered by Wieler Revue, revealing that he's doing much better. "It’s going well physically. It took a while, but I can do everyday things again. I can lift things, walk up the stairs... And cycling is going well too. I’m happy about that. Becoming a bit more human since my last femoral artery surgery in late June has been a top priority. That series of surgeries really took a toll."

In February, Iserbyt had already undergone surgery, just after the previous cyclocross season. "Physically and mentally, I was able to handle the operation with the condition and mindset with which I had just finished the cyclocross season. It was successful, but my body didn’t recover well. So in June, I had to undergo three more surgeries in quick succession."

Despite the successful operation, the recovery did not go as expected. Physically, Iserbyt found it hard to bounce back, and mentally, the process was even more challenging. He began to question if he would ever recover fully.

"I felt like I was in a dead-end street. Not so much because I wouldn’t be able to race, but just to live comfortably. Every time I was wheeled into the operating room, I didn’t know exactly what they were going to do or how long they would be working on me."

Iserbyt underwent a total of four surgeries, accumulating 15 hours of operating time. "Those are serious hits. When you start cycling, it's not the first injury you think of. But apparently, one in five cyclists will face it sooner or later, to some degree. Nobody knows in advance exactly what such an operation entails or what the complications might be. Believe me, it’s much more than just pulling a tooth."

During his hospital stay, Iserbyt found himself contemplating many things. "I was thinking about everything and anything. Thinking leads to doom thinking. You fall into a negative spiral, wondering if it’s all worth it. You reach the point where you think: 'Stop now.' Fortunately, I received a lot of support. From Fien (his wife), but also from my family, my team, and my coach."

By August, Iserbyt was back on the bike, although the recovery has been far from quick. "Initially, I focused on fitness and endurance, without much additional fitness training because my scars weren't strong enough yet. Only at the end of September was I able to start working on my strength differences."

If the Belgian rider reaches his top form at some point this season, he will already be content. "My left leg is still weak; it sometimes cramps up quickly, more on some days than others. It’s also a matter of finding the right balance between doing enough and not overdoing it, so I don’t get a setback. But now, the good days are definitely outnumbering the bad ones."

The Pauwels Sauzen - Cibel Clementines rider does not only do cyclocross, but also road races. However, he has never been close of reaching the same levels of success as on the mud, with 0 professional road wins. He has not ridden at all this season due to the injuries, with his last road race appearance being on September 21, 2024, at the Super 8 Classic, where he abandoned.