Eli Iserbyt was victorious on the Superprestige series for the third time this season on Saturday afternoon in Niel. The 26-year-old Belgian pounced on the last lap to take the win.
“It was very difficult. I had a very good feeling, but Joris was very strong,” reflected Iserbyt in his post-race interview. Having been in a nip-and-tuck battle with Joris Nieuwenhuis for most of the race, Iserbyt managed to finally stretch clear on the final lap. "I wanted to give it a try on the penultimate lap, but he really didn't make a mistake. On the last lap I knew it was important to be at the front of those bumps. There I tried to play all or nothing and try to open a gap. That worked well. But I did have to go deep.”
The course was incredibly muddy, sticky and wet in places, making for a slow, laborious slog for the riders involved. “I think I was better in the mud, to my surprise. There was some stamp on it. He was much better on the uphill running lanes. I kept missing a step there. It was always slightly above my height," says Iserbyt. "But all in all we kept a fairly steady pace and I was able to speed up a bit at the end. I had a bit of a hard time when he accelerated, but I knew it was to my advantage if I went on and over.”
Now in a dominant position in the overall Superprestige series, Iserbyt is looking good early on in the season. "The condition has actually been good all season. I am very happy that I got three out of three in the Superprestige, that is a dream start," he admits. "I don't know what the rest did, but I saw Sweeck and Orts behind me, I didn't have much of a view of the rest. The Superprestige is a big goal for me, just like the other classifications. A good start is half the work."
Dans la boue, à Niel, Eli Iserbyt sort vainqueur d'un duel face à Joris Nieuwenhuis lors de la 3e manche du Superprestige ! Felipe Orts complète le podium. En l'absence de van Empel, Ceylin Alvarado s'est imposée avec 1'04" d'avance sur Aniek van Alphen. #SPNiel
