The European Cyclo-Cross Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, are announcing themselves as exciting. Bart Wellens sees many top favorites for the European star jersey.
With Thibau Nys, Eli Iserbyt, Michael Vanthourenhout and Laurens Sweeck, there are at least four favorites for the European title in the Belgian selection. Niels Vandeputte and Toon Aerts should also not be forgotten.
“The Belgians have so many top favorites that they will always look at each other,” says Bart Wellens The Sunday. Although Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout, but also Vandeputte, Wyseure and Sweeck are also teammates in the Belgian selection.
Wellens about Nys and Iserbyt
However, two Belgians in particular will be looked at, namely Thibau Nys and Eli Iserbyt. Nys won in Overijse last Sunday and finished fourth on the Koppenberg on Friday. “You always have to take a good Nys into account,” says Wellens.
Nys should certainly be able to handle the course technically, he thinks. But that also applies to Eli Iserbyt, although the course is a bit against him. According to Wellens, it is not 100 percent tailor-made for him.
“How long will this European Championship remain closed? And how nervous will Iserbyt become? Winning a championship is not easy for him. We have already noticed that,” Wellens adds. In 2020 he won the European Championships, but has not been on the podium since.
