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 canât do that completely during a race like this. Thereâs a huge crowd here, so if itâs just one person... It still shouldnât happen. Iâll say this: it didnât 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 youâre thinking, âAre they still there? Will it happen again?â I was a bit surprised because you never expect something like that. Yelling doesnât matter, but now youâre getting physical. Thatâs crossing a line. Ultimately, you have to keep going. You canât stop and cry in a corner."
Read more below the video.
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 didnât 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. "Iâm a bit disappointed about that. But Lars was the strongest. He had a great attack and could keep it going uphill. I just couldnât 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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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 hadnât 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 didnât notice anyone yelling or doing anything, but itâs a shame they do it," he said pointedly. "Iâve also experienced it in the past, and it just doesnât belong in the sport."