"I have found the Arnaud I know again" - Lotto boss pleased with Arnaud De Lie's Tour de Suisse performance
Cycling
For the first time since turning pro, Arnaud De Lie had to go three months in a row without a podium result in 2025. Obviously this was not without a reason - but the legs were seemingly finally responding to the 23-year-old Belgian at the Tour de Suisse, even if it didn't immediately show in the results. A 15th place in a stage is better than a 'DNF'.
And we shall not pretend the race was built to suit the Lotto's star sprinter - it was an important training session too. "We went into the Tour de Suisse with the aim of improving his physical condition. That was done well," team manager Stephane Heulot explains in a conversation with RTBF.
"Admittedly, there were no significant results. He could have done better on Friday. But what I see is the pleasure he had in cycling, even if Arnaud will never be a pure climber. If we compare him with 2024 in the same race, we are physically very close."
In any case it was a difficult period for the Belgian champion. Perhaps even more mentally than physically. "Arnaud was very affected. Especially by the repeated bad luck and misunderstandings about his physical condition. The Lyme disease that struck him last year was not harmless. We had to do a lot of research and keep a close eye on things. But those problems have been solved."
"It is logical that it affected his morale. We did what we could with the time we had left. I am very happy with how things went this past week. I have found the Arnaud I know again. Full of desire and determination. He is doing well," he sounds optimistic.
Tour de France
Normally, De Lie will therefore hunt his first Grand Tour stage at Tour de France again this summer, despite the complications. "He will be there, despite the tight timing. There was the false start in Cologne and also the setback in Mayenne, but he did not have a forced training break," Heulot highlights. "Otherwise he would never have finished the Tour de Suisse, given the difficulty level."
Thus the manager has no doubts (and no other options to lead the team in bunch sprints): "He is ready for this Tour. I prefer to see the glass half full. He wants to prove a lot and will do so from Sunday in Binche," Heulot refers to National Championships this weekend.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
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