"I can say this was an extraordinary performance" - Arnaud De Lie shocks himself with tremendous performance at Etoile de Bessèges

Arnaud De Lie is one of the biggest emerging talents in cycling and that doesn't come to a surprise to anyone at this point, but this past week's performances at the Etoile de Bessèges have raised the bar even further for the Belgian who has climbed like never before.

“This was only my second time trial at the pros but we prepared it meticulously to set the best time possible. Despite it’s not my specialty, I think we still achieved our mission. I am happy with this performance," De Lie said after the final day of the French race, where he finished 31st and solidified a 7th place in the overall classification. In a race with several hilly stages, and the very tough Mont Bouquet summit finish - aswell as the final time-trial, to see the Belgian finishing that high in the GC is a testament to his raw talent.

“The original goal of this week was to win one stage," he says. Having won immediately on the opening day of racing, De Lie jumped into the race lead. Stage 2 had him as a main favourite but the race was neutralized, but stage 3 had De Lie victorious once again after surviving the many attacks over the hills. However it was on stage 4 where he surprised the most, taking part in the day's break that rode away in the crosswinds.

He climbed with the best in the field for some minutes, before sliding down to an eighth place. A big surprise however, with him finishing in the Top10 of the race. "The two stage victories, points jersey and seventh place overall also surprised me, to be honest. I can say this was an extraordinary performance, as the course – especially with the steep climb of Mount Bouquet, was not really my cup of tea," he stated.

"I can’t repeat it enough, but this wouldn’t have been possible without a strong Lotto Dstny team which perfectly supported me. We have made a good start to the year and want to continue that way," he reiterates. De Lie will have a busy spring, and he's set to return to competition this weekend at the Clasica de Almeria where he should once again be a contender to take the win.

“Personally, this strong start to the season gives me a lot of confidence for the races to come. But now it’s time for a few days of rest after these five intense days of racing. Then, I will build up again towards the GP Almeria and the first race on Belgian soil: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne”, he concluded.