Eli Iserbyt cleared to race cyclocross after sciatica diagnosis

Eli Iserbyt celebrates winning the Ruddervoorde Superprestige, one of his five victories so far this cyclocross season
Eli Iserbyt celebrates winning the Ruddervoorde Superprestige, one of his five victories so far this cyclocross season (Image credit: DAVID PINTENS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

Eli Iserbyt has been cleared to race in the Niel Superprestige race on Friday and the Beekse Bergen World Cup on Sunday after an MRI scan confirmed he is suffering with sciatica in his back and not a more serious problem that could have ended his season or even his career. 

Iserbyt has dominated the early cyclocross season, with five wins and four podium finishes but quit last week’s European Championships in Namur due to numbness in his leg. He leads the men’s World Cup standings after winning in Waterloo, Fayetteville and Tabor. 

Stephen Farrand
Head of News

Stephen is one of the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.

Read more
Eli Iserbyt in action
'I am relieved that a cause has now been identified' - Eli Iserbyt ends cyclocross season early to undergo leg artery surgery
Belgian Cian Uijtdebroeks of Team Visma-Lease a Bike pictured at the start of the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico cycling race, a 189km race from Camaiore to Follonica, Italy, Tuesday 11 March 2025.
BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM (Photo by DIRK WAEM / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP)
Uijtdebroeks plagued by recurring 'numb legs' in Tirreno-Adriatico withdrawal
LOENHOUT BELGIUM DECEMBER 27 Race winner Mathieu Van Der Poel of The Netherlands and Team AlpecinDeceuninck competes during the 40th Exact Cross Loenhout Azencross 2024 Mens Elite on December 27 2024 in Loenhout Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Mathieu van der Poel skips GP Sven Nys after injuring his rib in Loenhout crash
Mathieu van der Poel crests the sand climb in Zonhoven
Mathieu van der Poel to miss a third race due to rib injury, sitting out Dendermonde World Cup
Wout van Aert endures rain and mud en route to solo victory at World Cup Dendermonde, his third victory in four starts at the event
'I'm ahead of schedule' - Wout van Aert builds confidence to road season with World Cup win in Dendermonde
Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) competes at the World Cup in Maasmechelen, finishing sixth
Fem van Empel misses World Cup podiums on weekend, but 'form is there' for defence of Cyclocross World title
Latest in
Map of women's Dwars door Vlaanderen 2025
Dwars door Vlaanderen Women 2025 Route
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 27 Lorena Wiebes of Netherlands and Team SD Worx Protime celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 8th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2025 a 1527km one day race from Brugge to De Panne UCIWT on March 27 2025 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Classic Brugge-De Panne Women: Lorena Wiebes takes win number six of 2025
WALLERS FRANCE JULY 06 Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates white best young jersey competes passing through a cobblestones sector during to the 109th Tour de France 2022 Stage 5 a 157km stage from Lille to WallersArenberg TDF2022 WorldTour on July 06 2022 in Wallers France Photo by Bernard Papon PoolGetty Images
'He has the engine' - Geraint Thomas has no doubts Tadej Pogačar can conquer 2025 Paris-Roubaix despite lack of experience
Danish Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek celebrates after winning the men's Gent-Wevelgem - In Flanders Fields cycling race, 253.1 km from Ieper to Wevelgem, Sunday 24 March 2024. BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND (Photo by ERIC LALMAND / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP)
Gent-Wevelgem 2025 start list
French rider of team Visma Lease A Bike Christophe Laporte speaks during a press conference after winning the 118th edition of the 213,9 km Paris-Tours one day cycling race, in Tours, central France on October 6, 2024. (Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT / AFP)
Christophe Laporte misses out on cobbled Classics due to cytomegalovirus
(From L) Second-placed Italian Elisa Balsamo of Lidl-Trek, winner Dutch Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx - Protime and third-placed Italian Chiara Consonni of UAE Team ADQ celebrate on the podium after the Cycling World Tour Gent-Wevelgem women's 171,2 km from Ieper to Wevelgem, on March 24, 2024. (Photo by ERIC LALMAND / Belga / AFP) / Belgium OUT
Gent-Wevelgem Women 2025 start list
Latest in News
WALLERS FRANCE JULY 06 Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates white best young jersey competes passing through a cobblestones sector during to the 109th Tour de France 2022 Stage 5 a 157km stage from Lille to WallersArenberg TDF2022 WorldTour on July 06 2022 in Wallers France Photo by Bernard Papon PoolGetty Images
'He has the engine' - Geraint Thomas has no doubts Tadej Pogačar can conquer 2025 Paris-Roubaix despite lack of experience
French rider of team Visma Lease A Bike Christophe Laporte speaks during a press conference after winning the 118th edition of the 213,9 km Paris-Tours one day cycling race, in Tours, central France on October 6, 2024. (Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT / AFP)
Christophe Laporte misses out on cobbled Classics due to cytomegalovirus
SANREMO ITALY MARCH 22 Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and Team UAE Team Emirates competes during the 116th MilanoSanremo 2025 a 289km one day race from Pavia to Sanremo UCIWT on March 22 2025 in Sanremo Italy Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
'When he starts somewhere, it is to try to win' – Why Tadej Pogačar can win Paris-Roubaix
Wout Van Aert wears an aero helmet during a road stage of the Volta ao Algarve
'A tried and tested recipe' – Wout Van Aert hopes altitude training can give him the edge on return to racing at E3 Saxo Classic
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo bike lock on a worktop
Keep the bike thieves at bay with one of the best lightweight bike locks – the Hiplok Z Lok Combo has 40% off in this Amazon Big Spring Sale deal
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 26 Jonathan Milan of Italy and Team LidlTrek on second place poses on the podium ceremony after the 49th Classic BruggeDe Panne 2025 Mens Elite a 1956km one day race from Brugge to De Panne UCIWT on March 26 2025 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Yellow cards for Milan, Kristoff and Schwarzmann at crash-hit Classic Brugge-De Panne