"The value ratios after Mathieu are very close to each other" - Eli Iserbyt expects tight battle for medals at Cyclocross World Championships

Eli Iserbyt does not hide that he has little beliefs of reaching the rainbow jersey this Sunday in Tabor, but is eager to fight for medals. He is one of Belgium's weapons to fight for a top result at the cyclocross world championships and is ready for the challenge.

“Am I the leader of the Belgian selection? Maybe I'm the one who speaks up the quickest. That's not always smart. Sometimes I have a vision of things and I want to say it. But sometimes I may have been a little too honest in the past, I have already softened up a bit,” Iserbyt shares with Wielerflits.

Iserbyt, as a pure cyclocross specialist, has already succeeded this season by winning the World Cup and the Superprestige. Consistency was a big objective for the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal rider, and now with these two accomplished, he sets sights on the World Championships where he was third last year.

However, he was surprised after having wheels on the ground in the Czech Republic: “Everyone expected a fast course and a fast race. We were prepared for that, but now we arrive in Tabor and it is super muddy. Completely the opposite. The 2015 World Championships had exactly the same conditions. The cross then fully developed in the last twenty minutes, with riders still coming to the front. Classification will be important.”

“I am a realist and think: we have completed a whole season. We know what the value ratios are. At a World Championship it should normally be the same. I assume that more than I dare to dream. I always find that dangerous. I know exactly what is possible," he tells. Alongside Michael Vanthourenhout and Thibau Nys, the trio will hunt for medals. However, the Netherlands have an overwhelmingly strong lineup and could well take all three medals. 

“Who knows, I might be super good on Sunday and pull away for second place. But the value ratios after Mathieu are very close to each other," he concludes."That could get interesting. For the first time in a long time, the Netherlands has several strong riders who can make the race tough. That is good for the sport and hopefully it will not turn out badly for Belgium.”