Development Arnaud De Lie looks back on a successful season

With his stage win and overall victory at the Internationaal Beloftenweekend on Saturday 30 October, Arnaud De Lie (19) put a successful end to the season. On top of that he also won the general classification of the U23 Road Series. De Lie, who turns pro at the WorldTeam of Lotto Soudal next year, gathered a total of ten victories this season.

“It felt amazing to end the season on such a high”, starts Arnaud De Lie. “Everything was still possible on the second day of the Internationaal Beloftenweekend. In the morning I rode a good time trial and that gave me confidence for the afternoon stage. That last stage suited me perfectly because of the cobbles, the rain and the wind along the course. Jarne Van de Paar and I were in a breakaway together and he was a big help. With about 20 kilometres to go, Tim Marsman attacked. Timo de Jong and I joined him. The three of us rode to the finish together and I could beat them in the sprint.”

“Afterwards I could step on stage as overall winner of the U23 Road Series too. At the beginning of the season that wasn’t one of my goals, but after I won the GP Color Code in Bassenge I definitely wanted to defend my position. Thanks to my victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad I had a firmer lead. With my eleventh place at GP Tombroek-Rollegem I maintained my first place and at the Internationaal Beloftenweekend I didn’t want to give away the overall win anymore.”

His stage win and overall victory at the Internationaal Beloftenweekend were the ninth and tenth victory of the season for Arnaud De Lie. A season that, due to COVID, only begun for the U23 team on 15 May at the GP Vermarc, where De Lie got third. At the GP Color Code on 3 July De Lie could triumph a first time.

“The most beautiful victory of the season is my first stage win at Tour Alsace, my first ever UCI victory”, says De Lie. “Maybe we didn’t ride against the big pro teams yet, but our opponents were pros nonetheless. I could also wear the yellow jersey for one day and that is a nice memory. I will also cherish my overall victory at the Tour of South-Bohemia, also a UCI race. These are all ‘our’ victories though and not only mine. I won those races with and thanks to the team. I am very grateful to all my teammates and the staff.”

“I learned a lot the past year, my first as an U23 rider. For example the approach to a sprint was totally different, less chaotic and more coordinated with my teammates launching the sprint for me. I was part of a team. I will never forget this time.”

Before Arnaud De Lie takes the next step in his career, his pro début at Lotto Soudal, he can enjoy some rest. Well-deserved rest after a season that lasted till the end of October.

Arnaud De Lie: “I couldn’t have wished for a better end to the season. It’s wonderful to get into the off-season with such a feeling. I feel mentally and physically ready to become pro next year and especially because I stay in the Lotto Soudal team. I feel good here. But now first some rest. Last week, I didn’t do any sports, but since the beginning of this week I started doing core training again and I run. The bike will remain aside until 22 November. In the meantime I help my father at the family farm, that’s my way of relaxing.”

Photo: Maxime Van der Wielen