UCI suspends Iserbyt for three races, Kamp responds: "For me, it was already over at that point"

Several days after the incident with Ryan Kamp during the cyclo-cross race in Beringen in Belgium, Eli Iserbyt has responded once again to the clash and the subsequent kick. The Belgian cyclo-cross champion expressed deep remorse for his outrageous action at the Crystal Bicycle gala. However, this was not enough for the UCI: a week after the incident, they suspended the Belgian for three races and fined him 2,500 Swiss francs.

Last Saturday, the Dutch Kamp tried to overtake its Belgian competitor. He didn't do so skillfully: after a collision with their shoulders, both riders crashed. Iserbyt fell on a wooden pole and was visibly annoyed by the action. He thought Kamp was at fault, and in a fit of rage, he decided to play the judge: he savagely smashed Kamp's derailleur. Kamp had to walk to the material zone, and Iserbyt was disqualified moments later.

At the award ceremony for best Belgian cyclist (Remco Evenepoel won that prize for the men; Lotte Kopecky won for the women), Iserbyt expressed his regret to Het Laatste Nieuws. "I just saw afterward that I made a big mistake. It was an out-of-control moment, a wild reaction. That's not supposed to happen during such a sporting event, especially as Belgian champion. I do realize that. My apologies have also been sent to Ryan, the team, and the organization. To many people: I do realize that it is not done. I'm now looking forward to the next cross country and trying to start training again with renewed courage."

Iserbyt suspended for three races by UCI

Iserbyt's actions sparked widespread debate in Belgium. Former cyclo-cross rider Bart Wellens called for harsher penalties than just a disqualification and a 100 Swiss franc fine. "Honestly, I think there will be more consequences to come," Wellens added. "A suspension alone isn't enough. The UCI will need to send a clear message." Others, like Paul Herygers, felt that would be too much. "There's no need to revisit it. The race officials did what they needed to do by disqualifying him, and that should be the end of it."

In the end, Wellens was proven right by the UCI. The international cycling federation imposed a three-race suspension on Iserbyt for the incident. This means the Belgian will miss the races in Essen and Ruddervoorde in Belgium this weekend, as well as the race in Heerderstrand in the Netherlands. Additionally, the UCI fined him 2,500 Swiss francs.

Kamp responds to Iserbyt's suspension

After the Exact Cross in Essen, the other key figure in the incident, Kamp, spoke to Sporza. "Iserbyt called me on Saturday evening to apologize. I don't see why I wouldn't accept his apology. For me, it was already over at that point." Kamp also finds the suspension unnecessary. "It's not up to me to decide. The UCI made that decision. But for me, it would have been fine even without the suspension."