"I prefer a fairly chaotic race where it comes down to a man against man" - Arnaud De Lie looks forward to an extreme edition of Paris-Tours

One of the oldest races in the professional peloton, Paris-Tours will once again take place this Sunday. With grim reports from race organisers and rain forecasted for the weekend in Northern France, we might up for a race as exciting as the 2021 Paris-Roubaix. One of the race's big favourites, Arnaud De Lie is in favor of a havoc such as the one that could be created by muddy gravel segments and strong wind.

"Firstly, we will have to avoid punctures and mechanical problems, that will be very important! We will have to see how the race goes. If it is really unleashed, we will have to be in a more offensive mode. But if it is less chaotic like the last two years, I will have to be more reserved. But it depends each year... if we have to choose one of the two situations, I prefer a fairly chaotic race where it is played man against man," declared De Lie.

Complicated weather conditions are expected for Sunday. "I have never participated in Paris-Tours with rain. When it is good autumn weather with rain and wind, it can cause a lot of damage and a very tough race. We will perhaps find ourselves more in a situation comparable to the Tro-Bro Leon, man against man. It is something that could really suit me.  We know that in Paris-Tours the risks of echelons are very present. I hope there will be a bit of wind to play with the laws of physics and make echelons," he added.

While De Lie's season was a bit of a rollercoaster with somewhat unsettling outcome of his debuts at the major Cobbled classics and Tour de France, seven victories with highlight at the National Championships, is a record De Lie can look back without any hard feelings. There's still work to be done, but the foundation is not bad. Coming into Paris-Tours, the Lotto Dstny rider won the Binche-Chimay-Binche (1.1) on Tuesday, but came short in the sprint of Thursday's Sparkassen Munsterland Giro.