It was business as usual for UCI World Cup leaders Eli Iserbyt and Fem van Empel as they both captured thrilling sprint victories at the Fayetteville World Cup at Centennial Park on Oct. 16.
Iserbyt rocketed around Laurens Sweeck on the finish straight to come away with the sprint victory in the elite men’s race.
“I had to really dig really deep,” Iserbyt said. “I knew that the sprint was a headwind, so I had to be in second position. And I think that was my only chance to win. So for me, it was the perfect sprint.”
Van Empel, of the Netherlands, held off former world champion and last year’s Fayetteville World Cup winner Lucinda Brand to take the victory in the women’s race.
American Eric Brunner finished fourth in the men’s race, the best World Cup finish ever for an American. With two laps to go he made a big push to try and attach to the front group of three, but could never close the gap.