"The Tour is a huge witchcraft, nothing comparable to a Belgian Championship" - Belgian commentator warns Arnaud De Lie to stay alert

Arnaud De Lie will enter the Tour de France with the Belgian champion's jersey on his shoulders. In a way, his mission is already done for this period, but as we know the Lotto Dstny sprinter, he won't settle for one win if he can grab more. Thus we'll have something to look forward to at the Tour.

"It was very impressive, as only he can," says commentator Christophe Vandegoor at Sporza about De Lie's Belgian Championships triumph. "He finished it as he has often done in one-day races. From quite a distance in the lead and holding his ground, so that no one gets left. Often after a fairly tough race. And the BC was also tough. Sometimes you have to put the BC in the right perspective because of the line-up and the available quality, but yesterday De Lie beat the world top in the sprint."

Looking at the startlist, it's definitely a valuable victory. "Green jersey Jasper Philipsen, Champs Élysées winner Jordi Meeus, man in form Thibau Nys, Wout van Aert and multiple winner Tim Merlier. That is why this Belgian title is worth a lot in terms of quality."

Just before his Tour debut, De Lie gains a dose of confidence. What does this mean for his French adventure? "Whether a stage win in the Tour is a must? For themselves, because top athletes always put pressure on themselves," argues Vandegoor. "Not for his team, I think."

"The Tour is a huge witchcraft, nothing comparable to a Belgian Championship. The stress, the pressure, the greatness of it.De Lie is also making his debut in a Grand Tour, he has never ridden a Giro or Vuelta. It will require some things from him mentally."

"And sprinting at the Tour is really a fight to the death. De Lie is not afraid of that, certainly not, but he sometimes makes mistakes in terms of positioning, which is normal for a 22-year-old boy. Those small mistakes are immediately punished severely in the Tour. But there are eight sprint opportunities and after a selective stage there are definitely opportunities for De Lie."