He will also not race at the European Championships. After winning the last stage of the Renewi Tour up and down the Geraardsbergen Wall, Arnaud De Lie has taken note of not being among Belgium's squad for the Hasselt race, even if the Vuelta crash took away Wout van aertSo the Bull of Lescheret returned home to recover his strength and be ready for the race in Hamburg next Sunday, before setting sail for the Canadian WorldTour events. It was by winning last year's Quebec GP that the Belgian champion set foot in the great racing world., which until then had been a prediction rather than a certainty.
«Winning with this tricolor jersey always means something – he says – and doing it in such a legendary place, on the queen stage of the Renewi Tour, was even more iconic. The Geraardsbergen Wall, which we've climbed several times, is part of cycling history. I won't do the Europeans because Merlier and Philipsen they are faster than meWhile riders like Van Lerberghe and Rickaert are better than me at leading sprints, I'm not one for leading out, because it's something you have to learn by working specifically. But I like working for a teammate, as it was with Segaert at the Renewi Tour."
Two diamonds in the safe
La Lotto Dstny In the meantime, he is rubbing his hands, having shown off two absolutely respectable talents in the Belgian race. The first, Alec Segaert, who by winning the time trial had put himself forward for the top spots in the standings. The second, De Lie himself, who played his card in the final stage, when it became clear that his teammate would not be able to respond to Tim Wellens' attack.
«I did it all on the pedals – he smiles – man against man. A sprint victory is also nice, but that last stage was a real race.It was more than four hours in uncommon heat. Climbing the Wall three and a half times was incredibly tough. On the first pass, I felt great, and our primary goal was to defend Segaert's jersey. But when the flagship realized that Alec was too far behind, they gave me the green light.Wellens was beyond recovery, but we can still be very satisfied with what we achieved. After all Alec is only 21, I'm 22.In the two stages that didn't end in a sprint, we were the strongest. This bodes well for the coming years."
The Burnt Spring
What burns most, listening to De Lie's story is the spring thrown away because of Lyme disease, the infection transmitted by ticks. For a boy born and raised on a farmIt almost seems like a joke. Its symptoms include various skin irritations, as well as long-term neurological, cardiac, or joint changes that, if left untreated, can turn into real complications. To treat it, antibiotics are used which have reduced its capacity during the period of the most suitable races.After finishing tenth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the Belgian was no longer able to achieve top-level performances.
«By winning this stage of the Renewi Tour – confirmed De Lie – I have shown that if I don't have physical problems, I am thereOnly those who have experienced it know what that disease is. I ended up wondering what I was doing on a bike, a sensation every rider experiences sooner or later, but this time it was different. I didn't touch the bike for ten days and when I got it back, I didn't want to get on it anymore.I made many sacrifices to recover. And now I'm back and I have confirmation that these are my favorite routes."
Friend Van der Poel
David Van der Poel, Mathieu's brother, works with his agent. They knew each other when he was also racing, and they know each other better now that they're working together. And this creates an unusual mix of affections and ambitions.. De Lie will in fact race the next Tour of Flanders wearing the Belgian champion's jersey and as such he will be a sort of flag against the ruler Van der Poel who, to quote the Iliad, inflicted so much pain on the Belgians. According to some, his refusal to expose himself is a direct result of his desire to take his measure.
"Mathieu van der Poel," says De Lie, "is Mathieu van der Poel, right? That's another difference between us. I think he's first and foremost a good guy. With his way of doing things he shows that fun comes first and with fun comes results.This is my opinion too. I remember that in my first years as a professional I didn't really dare approach him; I didn't have the character to do so. Instead, in the last Tour we often rode alongside each other. In the breakaway, in the small group, or even just in a group.There's also time to talk at the Tour. And in any case, I don't think I have the legs to challenge him yet, even though it would be nice. I think it's still a distant goal. So I prefer to focus on what I can actually achieve."
