It's fair to say, Arnaud De Lie hasn't lived up to expectations so far this year, with a string of disappointing performances in the Classics. We may now have our answer as to why.
"After a further check-up, Arnaud De Lie was diagnosed with the Lyme disease after having found antibodies for Lyme in his blood," reads an official announcement from Lotto Dstny on the condition of their star rider. "It's possibly, as a Lyme diagnosis is never 100% conclusive, the reason why De Lie couldn't perform on a high level the past races."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the effects of Lyme Disease include "fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migraines," and worryingly, "if left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system."
Thankfully, with the diagnosis, De Lie can now begin his road to recovery. "Treatment with antibiotics has been started, speedy recovery Arnaud!" Lotto Dstny conclude in a thought and message we would like to echo.