The main favourite in the eyes of some, and with good reason. Arnaud De Lie rode a very strong Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and finished second after taking on the climbs with fierce power.
It was a rough day on the bike for the 20-year old, who crashed in a crucial moment of the race. “It was super nervous. I took the corner a little too fast, I think. But I have almost nothing, so I'm ready for tomorrow. I was with my teammates Frederik Frison and Brent Van Moer after the fall. I started the Molenberg in the top ten. That was perfect. After that I felt great. I said 'I'm having a super good day today'," he shared in a post-race interview.
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De Lie was still out of position upon the attack of Dylan van Baarle which eventually resulted in victory, but his task was to perform over the Muur de Geraardsbergen. He did so with maximum grade, as the attacks surged right at the base.
“I was super strong. I am super happy with the condition. I think I saw a super squad today too. On the Muur it was also impressive for me. Three years ago I watched this on television, now I am the man on the Muur de Geraardsbergen. It was just unbelievable, I have no other words for it," he describes. He kept up with the trio of Tim Wellens, Matej Mohoric and Christophe Laporte.
“I did my best, behind Dylan van Baarle. With Tim (Wellens, ed.) and Mohoric. I have to thank Tim. It is thanks to him that I am second here," he concluded. De Lie will once again be a prime favourite for victory tomorrow at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne.
He managed to sprint to second in the end despite the work done, and having seen the peloton catch up with the chasing group in sight of the line, continuously revealing his strong form.
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