Eli Iserbyt takes a hat trick of 2021-2022 ‘cross World Cup victories at Overijse
Cameron Jette the sole Canadian racing Belgian World Cups this October
World Cup leader Eli Iserbyt extended his Cup lead by winning his third race of the 2021-2022 series out of five on Sunday in Overijse, Belgium. Wout Van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock have yet to race cyclocross this season. Cameron Jette, the lone Canadian in the last two rounds of the World Cup, came in 48th; he was 40th last Sunday in Zonhoven.
You can watch the 2021-2022 UCI Cyclocross World Cup at FloBikes.
Going into Sunday’s race, Rounds 1 and 3 victor Iserbyt led Round 2 winner Quinten Hermans by 28 points at the top of the table, with Round 4 champion Toon Aerts third at 104 points.
With a paved and cobbled climb to start the race, Daan Soete led the pack with Iserbyt on his wheel. Soete finished Lap 1 alongside Hermans at 8:05, Iserbyt, Aerts and Corne van Kessel close behind. The course continued to deteriorate in the rain.
The race turned into a long string at the start of Lap 2. Michael Vanthourenhout was there with Hermans, Soete, Iserbyt, Aerts and van Kessel. Hermans grabbed the reins, Vanthourenhout a little back of him and Iserbyt seven seconds in arrears. The trio crossed the line more or less intact, 12 seconds ahead of van Kessel and Aerts.
On Lap 3 of 7, Hermans, Vanthourenhout and Iserbyt stayed together, satisfied to repel van Kessel and Aerts’ efforts to link up. Near the end of the lap, Hermans made a mistake that saw him distanced and riding with Aerts, who had left van Kessel behind.
Hermans had to make a shoe change on Lap 4. Aerts bridged over to make a new trio leading the race. Iserbyt briefly dropped the other Belgians. Aerts pushed the pace when he reunited with his compatriot.
The race was heading to its sharp end on Lap 5. Vanthourenhout and Iserbyt were teammates, and a third Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal fellow, Laurens Sweeck, was on his way. Aerts was on his own.
At the beginning of the penultimate lap, Sweeck made the junction. Aerts decided to play offense and attacked, with Sweeck lagging. Everyone took a fresh bike and Pauwels Sauzen went back to the front.
On the bell lap, Aerts couldn’t drop the duo on the paved and cobbled climb. Iserbyt went clear and Vanthourenhout gapped Aerts. The Pauwels Sauzen boys kept their gaps and would occupy the first two steps of the podium at the end of the day.
The sixth round is in two weeks in Tabor, Czech Republic.
2021-2022 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Round 5, Overijse
1) Eli Iserbyt (Belgium/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) 1:01:28
2) Michael Vanthourenhout (Belgium/Pauwels Sauzen) +0:09
3) Toon Aerts (Belgium/Baloise Trek Lions) +0:26
48) Cameron Jette (Canada)
