"There won't be much that can be done about Mathieu": Eli Iserbyt sceptical that anyone prevent history being overwritten

Cyclocross as a whole won't quite be the same without Eli Iserbyt. The 2020 European champion had to bid goodbye to high performance sport at the peak of his career because of persistent health issues that couldn't be resolved even through surgeries.

"It's still hard to accept," Iserbyt said on VTM NIEUWS as he explored the World Cup course. "This is part of it, not to get stuck in a rut for too long and to keep moving forward."

It is a bittersweet moment for Iserbyt to be in Hulst this week. After eight years of Mathieu van der Poel's dominance which completely overshadowed Iserbyt's career, the Dutchman might disappear from the world of cyclocross and switch attention to pursuit the so-desired XCO world title. For the two-time under-23 world champion (2016 & 2018), a pathway to the top of cyclocross world would have opened this way.

Of course, it wouldn't have been easy against the rising prodigies Tibor del Grosso and Thibau Nys, but the odds would turn much in Iserbyt's favor. If only his body would allow for that.

And so, as one of those who never quite managed to crack the tough nut that Mathieu van der Poel is, Iserbyt can provide his own perspective on whether there is any Belgian who can threaten to stop the Dutchman's attempt to become the best cyclocrosser in history. Even more so since the course seems to be tailor-made for the 31-year-old.

"If we're realistic, it'll be very difficult for the Belgians to threaten Mathieu. He's riding with a surplus. I think that - aside from bad luck - there won't be much that can be done about Mathieu."

Perhaps the biggest hope will be the 23-year-old Thibau Nys, however his performances are far from consistent. Against the large group of podium contenders, even a second place will be a success, although the young rider certainly aims even higher.