“I’m living in a dream” – Arnaud De Lie continues winning run at the Bretagne Classic

Arnaud De Lie is finishing 2025 in spectacular style after overcoming a frustrating first half of the season. The Belgian rider claimed overall victory at the Renewi Tour, defeating Mathieu van der Poel in the decisive final stage, and has now added another major win by triumphing at the Bretagne Classic. Outsprinting Olav Kooij of Visma to the line, De Lie secured his third victory of the year, continuing a run that has also seen him finish on the podium in his last three races. For a rider still so young, it marks a significant turnaround in fortunes.

Speaking to Cyclism’Actu, De Lie explained just how much the victory meant to him. "It's always a very tough sprint in Plouay. The timing of my attack today was perfect, I'm happy to have been able to win. It's one of my favorite races on the calendar. I also want to thank my teammates for their work all day. In the last editions, I may have overdone it, but this time, I rode intelligently. I just followed the big moves on the climb, and stayed in the big groups. In the finale, I followed Olav Kooij's wheel, and I managed to pass him. I've been on the podium in my last three races, it's a really crazy end to the year."

The Lotto leader described the run of form as a dream come true. “I’m living in a dream, enjoying every single moment,” he said in a team press release. “This is really a crazy season finale for me.” His joy was matched by praise for his teammates and his revised approach to racing. “It’s always a tough sprint here, but today the timing was just perfect,” he added. “My teammates did a fantastic job. I’m very happy to win here. This is one of my favorite races on the calendar.”

He also credited the role of Jenno Berckmoes in shaping the team’s strategy in the closing stages. “In previous years, I always raced aggressively here, but today I had to be smart: follow on the climbs and leave the tactical decisions in the finale to Jenno Berckmoes. That worked out perfectly. I’m just really, really happy.”