"Arnaud should tackle the classics just like Mads Pedersen" - Jasper de Buyst backs De Lie to challenge likes of Van der Poel & Pogacar this spring

After a breakthrough season in 2023, can Lotto Dstny's Belgian talent, Arnaud De Lie take the next step and compete for victory in the biggest races? Teammate Jasper de Buyst believes he can.

"With Arnaud we obviously have someone in the team who can really win big races," he tells In de Leiderstrui, convinced by De Lie's potential. "It is then important to put your own success aside. And that also comes naturally to me. So I certainly won't claim leadership."

Last year, there was a clear gap between the Classics contenders and the rest of the field. "If you look at the last few weeks, it is of course mainly Mathieu van der Poel who is doing the talking. That doesn't necessarily scare me, as he is, together with Tadej Pogacar, the most talented cyclist around. In terms of talent, no one comes close," De Buyst admits. However, he also sees a way De Lie can challenge the star duo over the coming spring.

"Arnaud should actually tackle the classics just like Mads Pedersen . That is someone he should emulate," he analyses. "Mirroring someone like Van der Poel is of course almost impossible. Sure, no one is unbeatable. But someone like Pedersen is a great role model for Arnaud."