The Belgian champion returns to action this Sunday: "He will definitely become the Arnaud we know again"

There was a bit of silence around Arnaud De Lie after his infamous stint at the Classics that came to a preliminary end for a second year in a row. But month and a half later, the Belgian champion should return to action this Sunday at the Rund Um Koln (1.1).

"It took longer to get him ready. But that is in line with what we had in mind for him right after the spring. We didn't want to put a time limit on when we wanted him back in the race. We first had to be sure that he was completely ready, and that is now the case," Lotto DS Kurt Van de Wouwer tells WielerFlits.

"Last year we were also in sackcloth and ashes after Gent-Wevelgem, but afterwards he became Belgian champion and rode a good Tour de France. I want to sign for that right now. There are still some great races coming up. The Belgian Championship is a goal again, the Tour too. That talent is not gone. He will definitely become the Arnaud we know again," he promises.

The exact programme for the summer is not yet set in stone, but if things go in the right direction, De Lie could again ride the Tour de Suisse as a preparation race for summer objectives. "But it will be pretty obvious. The Tour de Suisse worked out well last year as a final preparation towards the two main goals of the summer, the intention would be to do it the same way this year, if everything goes well."

At the same time, another important rider of Lotto also returns to action after a long pause. Jenno Berckmoes was expected to shine at the Classics this spring, but a concussion suffered at Tour of Flanders set him back for a month. As he's feeling better now, the Belgian will line up to the 4 Jours de Dunkerque "It will still take some time to get back to his level, but if he succeeds, he can also become a points winner for our team," concludes Van de Wouwer.