Eli Iserbyt has ended his 2024-2025 cyclocross campaign and will undergo surgery this week rather than a final race at Sluitingsprijs Oostamalle.
According to his Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines team, a new in-depth examination for his prolonged flare-ups of left leg pain revealed low blood circulation in his femoral artery, which will be treated surgically on Thursday in Brussels.
"I am relieved that a cause has now been identified," said Iserbyt, who has been disturbed by nerve pain in his leg, and back, since 2022.
"I felt last season that I could not perform at 100 percent. I am hopeful that this will be the case again after the procedure with a view to the next cyclocross season."
A double champion of the World Cup and Superprestige series last season, Iserbyt's health impacted his performances this time and a shortfall of top performances left him fifth in the World Cup standings and fourth in the Superprestige rankings.
The once-dominant World Cup performer first experienced nerve pain three seasons ago, which caused him to pull out of World Cup Namur.
An MRI scan at the time revealed he was suffering from sciatica, caused by a compressed intervertebral disc in his lower back. Physiotherapy had been used by the Belgian to treat the issue, with lots of back exercises and massage therapy during the season to loosen the muscles in his left leg.
However, the issue persisted each season, with nagging back pain and severe discomfort shooting through his left leg caused by abrupt movements, such as a fall, or with a running section off the bike.
In December 2024, a flare-up forced him to quit the World Cup Namur race again, the hard running sections on a slippery course a culprit for the relapse and pain.
He pulled out of World Cup Gavere, stating that he was suffering from Piriformis syndrome, a condition that causes pain when a muscle presses on the sciatic nerve.
"A number of cycling tests showed that there is less blood circulation in the left leg. This reduced blood circulation cannot be explained by a tense Piriformis muscle alone," said Team Doctor Frank De Winter in a statement, which led to a new assessment for the Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines rider.
“That examination confirmed the reduced blood flow in the femoral artery. This appeared to be a clear explanation for the reduced performance, which was completely out of line with Eli's normal level,” De Winter added.
Iserbyt last took victory on New Year's day at GP Sven Nys, and performed well at the X2O Trofee series, eventually winning that title, but the 27-year-old was disappointed on the big stage.
At the World Championships a month later in Liévin, where he finished outside the top 10 for the first time as an elite rider, a distant 13th.
The 2024-2025 season ended with the Belgian's lowest output of top finishes since he raced as a U23 rider six seasons ago, his typically fertile acquisitions of wins and other podium spots plummet by 60%, even with the same heavy schedule of racing. The outlook is positive for a fresh start after six weeks to recover.
“This will mean my road program will start a little later, but I am looking forward to the future,” Iserbyt said.
Iserbyt has two more years remaining on his contract with his Belgian team. Last year he competed 27 days on the road, and mixed in a few gravel competitions, with 13th at the Belgian Gravel Championships.
