Michel Wuyts’ World Cup barometer: “If Iserbyt crosses like in Flamanville, he is a candidate world champion” | Cyclocross World Championships

Eli Iserbyt responded with the pedals. A week after his off day at the Belgian championship, he stood head and shoulders above the rest in the Flamanville World Cup Cross in France on Sunday. Michel Wuyts saw that too.

“In Normandy, Iserbyt was a category stronger than the opposition. I would mainly regard that performance as a victory in itself. We have again seen the very best Iserbyt, although I dare not say whether we have also seen the best Aerts, Sweeck or Vanthourenhout “, says our commentator.

“If Iserbyt is going to come for the pins in Fayetteville as he did in France on Sunday, he is without a doubt a candidate, even for gold. Then you have to offer the very best Tom Pidcock to keep up with Iserbyt or to take off his beard Wuyts thinks.

“It is important for Eli Iserbyt that he has found that he still has the trump cards that he had already put on the table before the arrival of Wout van Aert”, Michel Wuyts continues.

Remarkable: during Van Aert’s passage in the field, podium places were scarcer for Iserbyt.

Wuyts: “Iserbyt starts its season in September, performs at a high level in October and also shines in November. You really can’t keep that up for 4 months.”

“A Van Aert, Van der Poel or earlier Liboton can do that. Because they are far above it in terms of body strength, they can also win on a lesser day.”

“It’s slightly different with Iserbyt, hence his logical slight decline in December.”

“That logic becomes even greater when you realize that with Van Aert you get someone who starts with an exceptional range of possibilities and who also has an even greater ability than Iserbyt.”

“Technically, Van Aert is not that much better than Iserbyt”, says our cross commentator. “I even think that Iserbyt equals him in terms of technique. But in terms of absolute power, Van Aert stands out a lot.”

“It is logical that Iserbyt will receive a physical and mental setback, although I think it is a favorable thing towards the World Cup.”

Wout van Aert came into action from December 4 to January 9.

Eli Iserbyt could not compete with Wout van Aert. Michel Wuyts: “During that period, Iserbyt aimed high a few times. In the World Cup in Hulst he became 2nd after Pidcock, you don’t just do that. Then you are really good.

“So also in that period he had heydays, just not as continuously as before.”

“I think Iserbyt is one of the smartest of them all and that he really knows what he is doing. He is wise enough to soften when he feels there is not much to it, like in Herentals or Loenhout.”

“Then he doesn’t chase that high pace anymore and he deliberately loosens the reins a bit.”

“I hope it’s smart of him. The World Cup track that awaits him in Fayetteville is not a perfect Iserbyt track. The Iserbyt we saw last weekend will be good to excellent on all rounds. But when he’s a tad less , then Pidcock will have an advantage.”

“There is a very long climb in the World Cup course and Pidcock is a climber, with an outstanding display of power on extended slopes. And in Fayetteville there is one like that,” warns Michel Wuyts.

Michel Wuyts is thinking of a three battle at the World Cup. In addition to Eli Iserbyt and Tom Pidcock, he also expects to see Lars van der Haar’s orange jersey in the front.

“He’s been working on that for quite some time,” notes our veteran reporter. “It is not the first time that he has skipped a game or dropped a result.”

“Van der Haar trains, so to speak, in the cross country. I expect him to peak high at the World Cup, on a course that smiles at him. I expect him as a candidate for the podium.”

“At Iserbyt, it is more about feeling, Van der Haar does it more consciously.”

“And he can afford that, because he already has two jerseys: from the European Championship and the Dutch championship. Imagine that a 3rd jersey is added. Then it is completely neatly packed.”

The Cyclo-cross World Championships in the United States take place on the last weekend of January. You can follow each cross directly on the channels of Sporza.