"He was in a mental state that did not allow him to perform" - Lotto detail past health struggles of Arnaud de Lie and eye Tour de France comeback

Arnaud de Lie is one of the most talented riders in the pro peloton but also one who has suffered a lot from physical issues in the last year - and as a result, psychological issues adding to that. Lotto DS Nikolas Maes has talked extensively about his comeback and the team's hopes that he shows his best level at the upcoming Tour de France.

"But that was a real shock to the system, he was suffering from respiratory problems. It's not that he was only able to race forty kilometres, but he had to get used to the competition again. That race gave a distorted picture," Maes said in an interview with Wielerflits following the Brussels Cycling Classic.

The 23-year old, leader at Lotto, started the season strong with a victory at the Etoile de Bessèges, but then as the spring classics began, he was being affected by a respiratory virus. This saw him miss out on performing at his main goals.

Later on, the Belgian - after already missing out on the monuments and taking time to recover - came back to racing at the Rund um Köln in May but abandoned in the first hour of racing. He then also missed out on the Boucles de la Mayenne which would be a potential alternative.

He did comeback to racing later however in Brussels, where he rode to a motivating third place on the road. "Now he is clearly back in the story. On Sunday he received confirmation in his head that he is still a rider. And a good one too.”

"... It is clear that Arnaud was not feeling well, but physically and mentally go hand in hand. If someone is not feeling well mentally, he will automatically not train well and not take care of himself one hundred percent. I am not saying that Arnaud was negligent, but he was in a mental state that did not allow him to perform".

“At such a moment, there is little point in asking him to give those last few percent. We have done a lot of clinical tests with the performance staff, ruled out a lot of things and talked to him a lot. But in the end, the rider has to make the click himself. We always talk about ‘marginal gains’, but if the foundation is not there, then you do not have a rider. No matter how much talent he has in his legs, it has to come out. But if it does not work out, that is how it is. As a team, you sometimes have to accept that and continue to support him as best you can. I am convinced that something like that can happen in any team.”

However de Lie's run of bad luck continues as at the Antwerp Port Epic, he has crashed once again and was forced to abandon the race. The team's report following the race however indicates he has escaped any serious injury and should be able to continue with his initial schedule.

This will be, surprisingly, the Tour de Suisse. “That will be another serious test in terms of condition to get ready. He really has to get into the right racing rhythm there and find the right feeling. And when he gets there, he will also try to go for a good result in the few opportunities that lie ahead. After that, the Belgian championship is also a goal.”

If everything goes well, he will return to the Tour de France, where on paper, the first week presents plenty quality opportunities. "We know from last year that the Tour is all about details. His first week was really good then, but it can always be a bit more. We just have to remember that Arnaud is not a pure sprinter. He has to find his ideal course, everything has to go well. He is of course not a top sprinter, but you never know what is possible for him."