"Really dangerous" and "not World Cup worthy" - What CX's main riders had to say about Maasmechelen track
Cyclocross
Yesterday's World Cup race in Maasmechelen was a success for some, but a disappointing day for others. The new circuit had it's immediate debut in the World Cup, and it had criticism from some of the riders in the field
“There were a lot of stones on the course. Just walk barefoot on the grass first and then over rocks and you'll understand why that's a problem," Eli Iserbyt said in a post-race interview. "That's why I fell and I'm standing here with bloody knees. You barely have any grip in the corners. I won't be coming back here next year if it's still like this. It's not World Cup worthy."
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The criticism comes harshly after the Belgian finished third in the race. A crash damaged his chances of fighting for the win, as was the case with Quinten Hermans. Iserbyt bounced back to finish on the podium, although having his lead in the World Cup shortened. Even before the race the reports of many exposed rocks were given regarding the course.
Lars van der Haar, who rode into second place despite a puncture and two bike changes during the completely dry race, has shared the same opinion. “The course was really dangerous," he said. "There were many stones on the ground. This is just not a World Cup course. If it had rained, it would have been just like Bieles," he mentioned, referring to the 2017 World Championships course in Luxembourg that saw riders puncture constantly.
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Head of communications Annelore Cleuren has responded to these, speaking to Het Nieuwsblad: "Of course we find this very annoying. You have to know that well six weeks ago there was no question of organizing a competition here. It was obviously not easy to lay out a perfect course in such a short time. However, we did not have the impression that the underground would be criticized to that extent.”
The fact that this was a new addition to the calendar, and a location that is seeing racing for the first time has meaningful impact on the course's conditions. “We will of course evaluate the reactions of the riders internally and see how we can approach this for the next edition. It is a pity that the criticism overshadows this beautiful day of racing," the race organizer concluded.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
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.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
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Men Elite CX Podium ⬇️ 🥇 Laurens Sweeck (BEL) 🥈 Lars van der Haar (NED) 🥉 Eli Iserbyt (BEL) #CXWorldCup
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