At the Exact Cross opener in Belgium on Saturday, Lars van der Haar took the victory, but the day quickly became overshadowed by a dramatic clash between Eli Iserbyt and Ryan Kamp. Their rivalry took a contentious turn when a crash led to Iserbyt expressing his frustration by stomping on Kamp’s rear wheel, raising eyebrows and questions about their long-standing tensions.
Heat of the moment
Iserbyt further elaborated in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, stating, “It was dirty. My reaction stemmed from his comments. I won’t repeat what was said, but it definitely fueled my frustration. I fell hard and hit my chin, which left me shocked. When you’re pushing for a win and something unexpected occurs, it stirs up a lot of emotions.”
After the race Iserbyt told Sporza, “My reaction was unnecessary. It happens in the heat of battle.” Disqualified by the competition jury, he explained that his actions were influenced by a history of conflict with Kamp. “This has been building for some time. He often cuts me off, and it happened again.”
Old issues between Iserbyt and Kamp
The dynamics between the two riders are complicated; they were teammates in the past but have never been close friends. “There have been unresolved issues for a while—like cutting in places where it shouldn’t happen and pushing. Since Ryan left the team, tensions have escalated,” the Belgian champion said.
In light of the incident, Iserbyt took to X to express his regret: “I understand the jury’s decision to disqualify me today in Beringen. My actions after the crash were fueled by anger and are not representative of this sport. I apologize to everyone involved. Now, I’ll focus on the positive and look forward to upcoming races!”
After the incident many called for a suspension for the Belgian, but as of Sunday that had not occurred.
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