🎥 Iserbyt tries to laugh it off, but was clearly affected by beer throwing: "Now it’s getting physical..."

The cyclo-cross scene (or a single clueless spectator) showed its worst side again on Friday. Eli Iserbyt, a hot topic in recent weeks, was doused with a full cup of beer. The incident was captured on video. The spectator was quickly tracked down and removed from the grounds. Solid action was taken, but for Iserbyt, it was understandably a very unpleasant experience. The fact that he still finished second on the Koppenberg could be considered a small miracle.

"I was really shaken for about two laps. It landed right in my face," Iserbyt explained, refreshed, during the flash interview after the race in Oudenaarde, Belgium. "It took a while to regain focus, but you just can’t do that completely during a race like this. There’s a huge crowd here, so if it’s just one person... It still shouldn’t happen. I’ll say this: it didn’t have a big impact, but it did throw me off for a bit."

In an interview with IDLProCycling.com after the podium ceremony, Iserbyt clarified what he meant by being 'thrown off': "You lose focus on the race, and the next lap you’re thinking, ‘Are they still there? Will it happen again?’ I was a bit surprised because you never expect something like that. Yelling doesn’t matter, but now you’re getting physical. That’s crossing a line. Ultimately, you have to keep going. You can’t stop and cry in a corner."

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🚵🇧🇪 | Een schandalige actie van iemand uit het publiek in Oudenaarde. Een man lijkt een vol glas bier over de Belg te gooien. Deze toeschouwer moet toch makkelijk op te sporen zijn... #Koppenbergcross 📺​ Veldrijden stream je op HBO Max

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Police quickly apprehended cyclo-cross fan, Iserbyt can already laugh about it

"Fortunately, I saw familiar faces," Iserbyt joked, referring to the quick action by the officers along the course. However, the full beer dousing didn’t make things easier. "I saw there was a lot of police presence because it happened near the party tent. It hit hard, yeah. I could smell it the whole race. Luckily, it was beer and not something else," Iserbyt quipped, hinting at past instances when riders have had urine thrown at them.

The only way the Belgian rider from Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal could respond was by finishing the race strong. Behind the unstoppable Lars van der Haar, Iserbyt ultimately took second place. "I’m a bit disappointed about that. But Lars was the strongest. He had a great attack and could keep it going uphill. I just couldn’t latch onto his wheel and ended up hanging in between a bit. But overall, I tried to minimize the damage. My form is generally good, but I keep coming up against someone who is just that little bit stronger and a bit fresher on the acceleration."

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🚵🇧🇪 | Gelukkig! De dwaas die een vol glas over Eli Iserbyt gooide, is in de kraag gevat. Snel gehandeld van de organisatie van de #Koppenbergcross ! 📺​ Veldrijden stream je op HBO Max

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Van der Haar unaware of the commotion regarding Iserbyt

The day's winner, Van der Haar, condemned the beer-throwing incident directed at Iserbyt. The Dutch rider from Baloise Trek Lions addressed it after the race, also in conversation with this website. "He told me afterward because I hadn’t noticed any of it. I did hear something over the speakers about the police and someone throwing cups."

"When I was riding close to Eli, I didn’t notice anyone yelling or doing anything, but it’s a shame they do it," he said pointedly. "I’ve also experienced it in the past, and it just doesn’t belong in the sport."

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