Eli Iserbyt claimed a third career Eact Cross Kortrijk title on Saturday, combining well with his Pauwels Sauzen–Bingoal teammate Michael Vanthourenhout to claim the victory.
The two riders attacked in tandem on several occasions during the first half of the race, seeking to work over the Alpecin-Deceuninck pair of Niels Vandeputte and Jente Michels.
Iserbyt made his winning move on the sith of the race’s nine laps, countering an attack from Vanthourenhout just after Michels had brought him back. Opening an immediate gap as Michels hesitated to respond, Iserbyt committed fully to the move, and soloed the rest of the race to seal the win.
Behind, Vanthourenhout, Vandeputte and Michels remained together at the end, with Vandeputte taking second-place in the sprint ahead of Vanthourenhout in third.
“It feels very good,” were Iserbyt’s words at the finish, when asked how it felt to take what was his second win of the season.
“I think the most important period of the season is coming with the World Cup. It’s good for the head to get a victory.”
Iserbyt had made his first committed move on the third lap, using the sand section to counter a move from Vanthourenhout and go clear out front. But, having gained a gap of about give seconds, his momentum stalled as he crashed going round a corner
Vanthourenhout attacked again on the fifth lap, gaining a lead of a few seconds and forcing Vandeputte and Michels to chase. It was when Michels eventually managed to bring that move back that Iserbyt made what turned out to be the race-winning move.
His lead grew steadily, from 13 seconds at the end of the sixth lap, to 20 seconds at the end of the seventh, and 28 seconds by the bell.
Iserbyt is now looking ahead to tomorrow and Antwerp, the first World Cup race of the season.
“Tomorrow is a very hard race. Sand races are, for me, very difficult. But I hope to do a good race tomorrow as well.”
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