Iserbyt and Van Empel win the CX World Cup in Antwerp

Eli Iserbyt and Women's World Champion Fem van Empel have taken victory in the first round of the UCI CX World Cup 2024-2025 held in Antwerp. Spanish rider Felipe Orts has shown that he is still in exceptional form and has made it into the Top 10 of a race that did not initially favor him.

Eli Iserbyt wins the Antwerp World Cup after a very unfortunate start to the season

Eli Iserbyt has started the World Cup in style just after serving the suspension imposed by the UCI for unsportsmanlike behavior at the beginning of the season. But Antwerp has been a new beginning for the cyclist who has won two of the last three overall classifications of the World Cup.

The race in Antwerp started with Thibau Nys leading from the start, but Laurens Sweeck was able to increase the pace to take control. Meanwhile, Iserbyt and his teammate, Michael Vanthourenhout, held back their initial impulses and stayed close to the leading group.

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It was in the fourth lap when Iserbyt took the lead, with Sweeck and Vanthourenhout very close behind. But the Belgian managed to attack at a steady pace and increase his lead while his teammate Vanthourenhout seemed to keep his pursuers at bay.

With a 17-second lead accumulated with 2 laps to go, Iserbyt made sure to maintain the difference until the end and win the race solo. Finally, Laurens Sweeck managed to finish in second place and Michael Vanthourenhout completed the podium 28" behind the first.

Men's Elite Results Antwerp World Cup

1. Eli Iserbyt - Belgium - Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal - 58:56
2. Laurens Sweeck - Belgium - Crelan - Corendon - +0:17
3. Michael Vanthourenhout - Belgium - Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal - +0:28
4. Joran Wyseure - Belgium - Crelan - Corendon - +0:34
5. Niels Vandeputte - Belgium - Alpecin-Deceuninck - +0:44
6. Lars van der Haar - Netherlands - Baloise Trek Lions - +0:54
7. Pim Ronhaar - Netherlands - Baloise Trek Lions - +1:11
8. Toon Aerts - Belgium - Deschacht - Hens - FSP - +1:15
9. Felipe Orts Lloret - Spain - Ridley Racing Team - +1:22
10. Kevin Kuhn - Switzerland - Charles Liégeois Roastery CX - +1:29

Fem van Empel shines in Antwerp

Women's World and European Champion Fem van Empel showed her favorite status and just one day after winning the Exact Cross Kortrijk, she won the Antwerp CX World Cup for the third consecutive year.

The Antwerp race started with Luxembourg champion Marie Schreiber leading the race in the first lap, but soon Van Empel and Schreiber would form a pair to break away first and open up a 20-second gap to their pursuers, Lucinda Brand and Zoe Backstedt.

Van Empel took advantage of her better pace and technique in the sandy sections to also drop Schreiber. From there, the World Champion increased her lead enough to cross the finish line first with a 31-second margin. Lucinda Brand had a great second half of the race, allowing her to take second place on the podium. Marie Schreiber finished third in a brilliant performance.

Women's Elite Results Antwerp World Cup

1. Fem van Empel - Netherlands - Visma-Lease a Bike - 50:33
2. Lucinda Brand - Netherlands - Baloise Trek Lions - +0:31
3. Marie Schreiber - Luxembourg - SD Worx-Protime - +1:11
4. Sara Casasola - Italy - Crelan - Corendon - +1:27
5. Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado - Netherlands - Fenix-Deceuninck - +1:41
6. Blanka Kata Vas - Hungary - SD Worx-Protime - +1:57
7. Zoe Backstedt - United Kingdom - EF Education-TIBCO-SVB - +2:10
8. Inge van der Heijden - Netherlands - Crelan - Corendon - +2:17
9. Laura Verdonschot - Belgium - De Ceuster-Bouwpunt - +2:31
10. Annemarie Worst - Netherlands - Cyclocross Reds - +2:40

The next round of the CX World Cup will take us to Dublin, Ireland, on December 1st.