Iserbyt notices changes at the barriers: "I’m a braker, just like Sweeck and Van der Haar. We have a different style"

Jeroen Vanbelleghem and Sander Valentijn asked Iserbyt about the impact of his suspension, which followed an incident with Ryan Kamp, where he stomped on Kamp’s wheel mid-race. Iserbyt admitted it definitely had an effect. "It influenced the lead-up to the races. During the races as such, it wasn’t too bad, but my form wasn’t as good as in previous years. I was trying to find confidence and find my own rhythm. Now I think my results were more due to a lack of confidence than my physical form, which actually improved with every race."

Vanbelleghem pointed out that the competition seems to be getting tougher, a statement Iserbyt partially agreed with. "The competition is definitely stronger, but I was mainly focused on finding my own way of racing. Before last weekend, I was riding too passively, and it often came down to the last lap with a large group. That’s not my strong suit."

To improve further, Iserbyt had a sandbox built in his own backyard. Sand had been one of his weaker points, but last weekend showed that’s no longer the case. The Belgian is now even winning sand races. "It’s hard to find sand where I'm from. I used to ride around playgrounds to practice, but it never felt natural. Now I train at home in the sandbox at least twice a week."

Other obstacles, however, are also making a bigger impact. For instance, Iserbyt has noticed a major change at the barriers. Ronhaar has also mentioned this. "It’s no longer about if you jump the barriers but it's about how fast you can do it. You need to try to jump at 30 kilometers per hour. That’s a big mental challenge. You have to approach at full speed without braking. I’m a braker, just like Sweeck and Van der Haar. We have a different style," Iserbyt explained.

When asked about the potential return of Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel to cyclo-cross, Iserbyt stayed grounded. "I’m looking forward to it, but I have to be realistic. Mathieu and Wout’s form is probably already ahead of our current level. Every year, I hope I’ll have a chance, but after two minutes in their wheel, I realize again how big the gap is. That’s when I think: never mind, I’ll try again next year."