“The doctors haven’t been able to solve it” – Eli Iserbyt’s team boss says Belgian “can do nothing but hope” as injury threatens to end career of cyclocross star
Cyclocross
Eli Iserbyt’s season — and possibly his career — hangs in the balance after another crushing injury setback forced the Belgian to stop racing completely. The 28-year-old Pauwels Sauzen–Altez Industriebouw rider has been ordered to take four weeks of full rest, with his future now depending on the outcome of crucial medical tests next month.
“We’re back to square one”
Team manager Jurgen Mettepenningen spoke frankly to VTM NIEUWS about the situation, admitting that even the medical experts are struggling to find answers. “The doctors haven’t been able to solve it, so hoping for a natural recovery is all we have left,” Mettepenningen said. “If we don’t get good news in four weeks, then it’s going to be a very difficult story, I think.”
Iserbyt’s latest relapse affects the same leg injury that derailed his early season. After new scans at Ghent University Hospital, he was told to stop all training immediately — effectively wiping out any realistic hope of returning to competition before the end of the winter campaign.
Mettepenningen did not hide his frustration or concern. “It’s sad and unfortunate — for Eli himself, but also for the whole team. We’re back to square one. There will be another check-up in four weeks, and a lot will be decided then,” he explained.
The team boss hinted that Iserbyt’s entire career could hinge on that follow-up examination. “Hopefully we’ll see progress and the blood flow through the femoral artery will have improved. If that’s the case, we can be optimistic and discuss the next step with the doctors. But allow me to be a little pessimistic today.”
Iserbyt has twiced finished on the podium at the elite World Championships
Season effectively over
Even with European Championships weekend approaching, Mettepenningen conceded that Iserbyt’s 2025-26 cyclocross season is as good as finished. “The scenario where the season is finished is coming very close. There’s no point denying it. I think we can start to draw a line under it.”
While teammate Michael Vanthourenhout targets glory at Sunday’s European Championships in Middelkerke, the Pauwels Sauzen squad’s celebrations — should they come — will be tempered by concern for their sidelined leader.
“The team keeps going, and if we win, there’ll be celebrations — but our thoughts will be with Eli. I think of him as a person, and right now, there’s no consolation for him.”
Iserbyt, one of the most consistent performers in modern cyclocross and a 54-time race winner, now faces the toughest battle of his career — one not fought in the mud, but against time and uncertainty.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- JV is really slighting himself with not doing the 1 dayers.. 🤷
leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
- and another no-news article around the ‚2 tokyo jogging rounds‘ headline, this time spiced with some days old ‚news‘ that the LA and japan vacation trips come during or after the tdf route release. i am getting more and more annoyed by this time-stealing no-news crap. but who am i to complain? nobody forces me to come back for more ‚news‘ day after day …Ketterechts02-11-2026
- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
santiagobenites02-11-2026 - guillaume martin in this list is quite a surprise as a gc rider.Ketterechts02-11-2026
- Who cares what Bruyneel thinks. He and his best mate Lance, the biggest fraud in the history of sport, have no place commenting on anything but how to lie and cheat!whit2pet02-11-2026
- Eeesh!Lozza02-11-2026
- bravo! a rider likes jonas needs motivation and he needs to believe in being able to reach goals. he - like anybody else in the world - doesn't believe that he can win the tdf with pogi present. and what's it worth for when pogi is not there? second class victory only. he has checked all three grand tours, so what is left if not retire? the classics! go for it, jonas!Ketterechts02-11-2026
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
Loading
🇧🇪 Eli Iserbyt has given an update on his Instagram. "Had an examination today at UZ Gent. At this moment we've decided to put the bike aside for 4 weeks and then conduct another examination." 🍀
1 Comments