Eli Iserbyt of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal hopes to rediscover his form at the start of the cyclo-cross season, and said that the time spent training in the warmer Spanish climate may help him reach a similar level He said that the time spent training in the warmer Spanish climate may help him reach a similar level of performance in time for the busy season of 'cross races around Christmas.

The two-time under-23 World Champion was joined by Toon Aerts (Telenet Baloise Lions) and his Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal teammate Laurens Sauzen at round 5 of the Super Prestige Series in Zonhoven, Belgium, on Sunday. He finished third behind teammate Laurens Sweeck, but has not won since the Koppenbergcross (DVV Trofee's season opener) on November 1. The Belgian rider has won seven of the first nine races this season, including the World Cup opener in Iowa City and Waterloo (both in the U.S.) and Bern (Switzerland), but he returned in the fourth round of the Superprestige on November 3 in Rudervoorde, where Mathieu Van der Pol ( Corendon Circus) has not won a single race since

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Like Britain's Tom Piddock (Trinity Racing), Iserbitt, the current under-23 world champion, is in his first full season at the senior level, but after a strong start to the season, the 22-year-old seems to have tasted what he wants to try again.

"I was really flying, but I know I can't get to a higher level than I was at that start of the season. I won't be training in Spain for another week and I hope to be back to my best come the busy Christmas period."

Yzerbito has already spent a week in Spain before last weekend's Superprestige Zonhoven, and knows from experience that it is difficult to get back into the rhythm of a 'cross' race.

"After training camp, I always struggle in the start phase of the 'cross," he said.

"By the end of the race I was feeling a little better and I have to remember that I am slowly getting back into the swing of things. I feel much better than I did at Kortrijk and Kozide."

In Round 5 of the World Cup in Koksijde on November 24, Iserbitt finished 13th, but still holds the overall lead, his main goal for the season, by 18 points over Aerts.

At Kortrijk, the third round of the DVV Trophy, Yzerbito finished fifth, 2:10 ahead of teammate Michael Vanthourenhout, who also took the lead in the overall standings (based on overall time, not points).

"This weekend [December 14 and 15] I want to show the results of two weeks of training in Spain," Iserbitt said of the Hottond Cross DVV in Ronse on Saturday and the Druyven Cross race in Ouvélaise on Sunday. These two courses suit me better than the sand in Zoghoven."