It was rain and sunshine for Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal on Saturday in the World Cup Cross in Val di Sole, Italy. Michael Vanthourenhout won the World Cup cross, but teammates Eli Iserbyt and Fem van Empel crashed heavily. “Eli is someone who doesn’t throw in the towel easily. He will continue to work hard in every match. With Fem it’s a day-to-day look,” said team manager Jurgen Mettepenningen.
How is Eli Iserbyt doing two days after his fall in Val di Sole? “No cracks or fractures were found, but it is a very painful injury,” says team manager Jurgen Mettepenningen. “Eli suffered a crushed muscle or a ‘horse bite’.”
The leader of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal is currently on a team internship in Spain. “Yesterday he drove loose. Today he went to see how the reaction is during an endurance training. If he succeeds, it looks good that he will ride the other crosses as previously planned. So Gavere, Zolder and Diegem.”
Because of his fall, Iserbyt lost a lot of points for the World Cup. He is now in third place. “He is someone who does not throw in the towel easily. He will continue to work in every game.”
“The World Cup classification has not yet been lost. Michael (Vanthourenhout) is catching up on Laurens Sweeck and is now a good second. The World Cup has not yet been decided.”
“I expect Michael to be able to raise this level, then I think he can still fully compete for the overall victory in the World Cup.”
Eli Iserbyt was carried away on a stretcher in Val di Sole.
“Fem has fluid in both knees and she has a bruise on her left leg”
At first Fem van Empel feared a serious injury, a fracture in the leg was even suggested for a while, but that was soon over and the first diagnosis at the medical post on the course revealed no fractures.
The Dutchman visited the hospital today and no serious injuries were found.
“Fem has fluid in both knees and she has a bruise on her left leg,” says team manager Jurgen Mettepenningen. “We look at how she is evolving day by day and whether she will start in Gavere.”
Van Empel was not scheduled for the Exact Cross in Mol on December 23. The World Cup in Gavere is on Monday 26 December.
Fem van Empel crashed heavily into a pole in Val di Sole.
“Belgian championship highly regarded”
In the success formation, they are already eyeing the BK on Sunday 15 January.
The Belgian championship in Lokeren is close to the home base of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal in Hamme. “It is a course that should suit our boys, although we are very realistic that Wout van Aert will be in good shape.”
“But you never know. The BC still has to be ridden and the BC is highly regarded in our team.”
“But our season has already been a great success,” says Jurgen Mettepenningen very proudly. “Last season we won 21 TV crosses. At the moment we are already at 21 in December and we are European champions.”
