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ANTWERPEN, BELGIUM – NOVEMBER 24: Eli Iserbyt of Belgium and Team Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal leads the breakaway during the 18th UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Antwerpen 2024 – Men’s Elite on November 24, 2024 in Antwerpen, Belgium. (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images
Eli Iserbyt and Fem van Empel each put on masterclass displays in the opening round of the UCI cyclocross World Cup, dominating their races on a sandy, technically demanding course in Antwerp.
Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) had won Saturday’s Urban Cross Kortrijk and showed further sparkling form Sunday. He was amongst the best from the start and calmly closed up to Laurens Sweeck (Crelan – Corendon) when the latter rode clear on lap two.
Iserbyt began his big push for success on lap four, initially stretching out the lead group and then decisively gapping them on a testing sand section near the finish line.
Teammate Michael Vanthourenhout was sitting second in line there and held back slightly, helping Iserbyt open what was a seven second advantage by the start of lap five.
The Belgian champion continued to ace the course, blending his explosiveness and acrobatic skill to briskly move through the sandpits and to maximize speed around the tight turns. He put in a succession of perfect laps, increasing his advantage to 13 seconds by the end of lap five, and 17 seconds two laps later.
He reached the finish with the same margin over Sweeck. Vanthourenhout had a puncture towards the end of the race and had to change a bike, rolling in 11 seconds further back.
“I had a really good feeling,” Iserbyt said. “I just wanted to prove myself this weekend and turn the tide a bit for me and ride my own race. I’d a bit more confidence in my capabilities and then it shows.
“Especially today it was difficult for me when I was in front to do the long sand straight because there were all footsteps in front of me. So it was really difficult and that kept the gap a bit closer than I wanted.
“It was a really hard race for me, especially with the wind. I am really happy to finish it off.”
Iserbyt’s successes this weekend mark his first victories in almost a month. He’s had a tough time, including disqualification from the opening event of his season, the Be-Mine Cross. He stomped on the wheel of rival Ryan Kamp (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development team) after the two of them tangled on a corner, prompting the ire of the UCI commissaires.
Iserbyt had beer thrown in his face three weeks later, leading to a spectator being arrested.
Prior to this weekend he had ridden nine other races and only won one of those.
“The results were worse than the shape, I think,” he said.
“My shape was really good but the results weren’t really that good for me. Well, they were good but I always want more. I think this weekend was the perfect weekend. I think it is a long time ago that someone got the double, so I am really happy.”
Sweeck looked to be on a flier early on, rocketing away from the rest of the field. Part of his gains were in the sand areas, where he hurtled along and stretched out his advantage.
Iserbyt and others were gradually able to get back up to him, but the 2022 World Cup winner played down suggestions that he had perhaps started too fast.
“The sand, you take it better full speed, and then you don’t make mistakes,” he said of that initial gap.
“It is like ten seconds less [to do that].
“In the end I think I just had a bad part in the middle of the race and that was where Eli made the difference.”
That wavering in momentum aside, what also made things more difficult for Sweeck was being up against two Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal riders.
Once Iserbyt was clear Vanthourenhout stalled the chase on at least two occasions. It was nothing too obvious, but it did complicate things for their rivals.
Still, Sweeck was quick to pay credit to both of them.
“I think there was one guy better, maybe two,” he said.
“I think Michael also rode a good race. It was tough to ride against two teammates. But I think they were also the best two guys in the race. I didn’t have an answer.”
Vanthourenhout may well have taken the runner-up slot had things worked out differently.
“I think I was second-strongest today but a flat tire in the end was too much to fight for the second place,” he accepted.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
World champion Fem van Empel cruised to a smooth victory in the women’s event, showing a lack of recent racing had done nothing to slow her down.
The Visma – Lease a Bike rider returned to competition on Saturday after a 20 day break, promptly winning. She did so again Sunday, beating Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) by 31 seconds and Marie Schreiber (Team SD Worx – Protime) by 1:11.
“The key was to focus the whole race and ride a steady tempo,” the Dutchwoman said. “It was quite hard today with the wind and also with the sand part. I did a good job.
“Behind me there were lots of small groups. I kept fighting until the finish. I am really happy.”
Best under 23 rider Schreiber got off to her usual lightning-fast start, pulling clear of the field. Van Empel got up to her and then dropped the Luxembourger on lap two, drawing steadily clear.
Behind, Brand recovered from a slow start to catch Schreiber in one of the sand sections. She moved clear but ultimately finished half a minute down.
“I tried my best to start as fast as possible. It is very short, so it was not easy,” she said, speaking of the stretch before the first bend.
“It was not super bad, but of course it can always be better. Then it is really hard to pass. My sand sections were not the best so then instead of moving up I lost a few places.”
She gradually passed some of those in front of her but the delays made things very complicated.
“Then the first two had a gap already once I could finally move up. I could not close it any more.”
Ceylin Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuncink) would normally have been one of those in contention for the win, not least after notching up six victories already this season. However she was sick earlier in the week and clearly not in her usual form. She and the Italian Sara Casasola (Crelan-Corendon) battled in the finale, with the latter ultimately securing fourth, 1:27 back.
Schreiber was one place in front, and exceeded her pre-race expectation.
“Actually my goal was a top five,” she said. “Last week was pretty good so I knew I was feeling well. But then everyone was here so I didn’t know how I would do. And also the conditions are quite tricky, but I liked it.
“I had a super good start but then I cracked a bit on the second, third lap. When Lucinda came I couldn’t follow, but then towards the end I had a good pace and I didn’t make an mistakes, so I could take third place.”
Being the only one able to stay with Van Empel early on was an encouraging sign, even if she thinks those efforts ultimately cost her.
“I thought I would just hang on as long as I can. Unfortunately in the sand I made a big mistake and then she was gone. I never got back. I think also I made a little bit over the limit trying to follow her, because after that I cracked a bit.”
She will line out in next weekend’s World Cup in Dublin.
So too will Van Empel who, like Iserbyt, won last year’s World Cup overall.
There are 11 rounds to go but both riders got the defense of those titles off to a perfect start Sunday.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
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