Arnaud de Lie ready to challenge for classics glory: "I am really convinced that it was an important step to perform better"
Cycling
Arnaud de Lie, the current Belgian national champion, is
setting his sights on leaving a greater mark on the spring classics in 2025. In
an interview with Wielerflits, the Lotto rider explained his impressive winter preparation,
and what he has learned heading into the new season.
“My winter went exceptionally well. I trained in Spain for
five weeks, which is quite a difference compared to the last three years.
Renting a house there was the best choice in my young career. I trained for six
hours twice in December, which is almost impossible in Belgium. Training in
good weather and lots of sun makes you stronger. I am really convinced that it
was an important step to perform better.”
“I will definitely not do that altitude training camp again.
I did sleep in a high-altitude tent at home in the winter, but that's it.” This
decision comes after a rough start last year when he fell ill during
Paris-Nice, following a challenging altitude training camp in Tenerife.
De Lie also talked about keeping mentally strong during his
setbacks, “That I have to stay calm when something bad happens. If it doesn’t
work out, you can’t do anything anymore and you have to accept it. At that
moment, you shouldn’t look at the past, but at the future. Every problem has a
solution, so there’s no good reason to drive yourself crazy.
“At times, I asked myself a thousand questions, while you
only have to ask that one right question. That helps me to stay calm, and I’m
also coached well in that. And that’s also the only thing you can control
yourself. That illness was just pure bad luck.”
Recalling his competition alongside Tadej Pogacar in Quebec
last autumn, he explained, “That was very special, but it also makes me think.
It may not have been the right choice.”
“Watch out, it was a very special moment. And it gives me
confidence that I can do something like that in an explosive finale. But
sometimes I have to race more cautiously. I have to learn to ride less on
emotion, but more with my head. After all, we don't race for beautiful moments,
but for victories. That will be important, especially in the classics.
“We don't have the strongest team and then you have to wait
until Visma | Lease a Bike , Alpecin-Deceuninck and UAE Emirates-XRG start. You
have to adjust your tactics a bit. And then it's simple: if Van der Poel goes
on and you want to take advantage of a small chance to win, then you have to
follow that big guy.”
On the team, he said “I can't deny that we've lost strong
men. But we have a lot of quality that still has to prove itself in the big
work. I'm thinking of Alec Segaert and Jenno Berckmoes . We have a lot of
motivation to show that we're still there, we're not Lotto for nothing. I don't
want to avoid that pressure. In fact, we impose it on ourselves. But then in
the right goals.”
Looking ahead to the classics, de Lie stated, “In general,
my first goal is to be able to ride finals in the classics. And I want to
compete for victories. But if I sprint for the win in Gent-Wevelgem and I
finish fourth, that doesn't matter. Then I've competed for the win.
“There's one time I really want to go for a result and
that's in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. That's where I have the most experience of
the last few years and I know I can win. It's really become a special race for
me.”
“The Muur van
Geraardsbergen suits me very well. Every race with that slope, I finished in
the top 10 and last year I even managed to win there during the Renewi Tour.
But it is also the Omloop as a race itself that I love. That starts with the
atmosphere in the Kuipke and the atmosphere is often very special throughout
the race. In the Belgian jersey that will probably be even more fun. It is a
big goal.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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