"The mud doesn’t bother me" - Felipe Orts comes close to major win; beats Iserbyt, van der Haar and Vanthourenhout in Niel
Cyclocross
Felipe Orts is a rider that has been continuously growing within the cyclocross world, and is an interesting figure coming from a 'non-traditional' cyclocross nation. He continues to put his foot down as one of the leading figures currently and came close to beating the whole field at the Jaarmarktcross Niel this Monday, coming second only to a Laurens Sweeck who thrived in the mud.
“I am extremely satisfied with my race and the result I achieved. At the end of the cross I still had some energy left to go into the final, with Niels Vandeputte and Eli Iserbyt”, Orts shared with Het Nieuwsblad following the race. “It was difficult in the final phase, but fortunately I still managed to come second. I had divided my race well. The circuit was tough. Anyone who went into the red quite early here was disappointed.”
Orts comes from a second place in the Pontevedra European Championships where he put in a massive display, being the closest rider to a Thibau Nys who seems to have finally found consistency. Whilst he usually performs very well in the fast courses, he admits that it's in the mud that he feels at his best. In the third round of the Superprestige Cup, he felt at home and beat most of the discipline's best - finishing directly ahead of Niels Vandeputte, Eli Iserbyt, Lars van der Haar and Michael Vanthourenhout.
“I just have a good feeling on a muddy circuit. The mud doesn’t bother me. I also don’t mind racing in the rain. That is all part of cyclo-cross," he concluded.
The 29-year old's strong performance sees him climb to fourth in the cup rankings and be in the fight for the win after three rounds out of eight. Former leader Joran Wyseure struggled and scored only 2 points - Niels Vandeputte, who was tied, climbed to the lead after finishing third. The Belgian has 39 points, Lars van der Haar has 36, Michael Vanthourenhout has 33 and Orts is now fourth with 29 points in the tally. Eli Iserbyt, after missing out on the first round due to suspension, follows closely in sixth place with 26 points.
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🥈DISFRUTEMOS🥳
— Felipe Orts Lloret (@felipeorts15) November 11, 2024
Ha costado muuucho💥 llegar hasta aquí arriba 🔝
📸@photonewsbelgium @ridleyracingteam 💚 pic.twitter.com/kXLH3RJ99n
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)...
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- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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