"To follow Mathieu, I'm still lacking 50 watts" - Arnaud de Lie considers early attack or sprint finish at Omloop het Nieuwsblad

Arnaud de Lie had an ankle ligament injury that delayed his start to the season and hampered his preparation, however the leader of Lotto-Intermarché has grown into form and is ready to take on the Opening Weekend as a candidate to win both Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Kuuren - Bruxelles - Kuurne.

"There are no more question marks, and mentally I'm also in good shape. I'm motivated to make something great of this spring," De Lie said in a press conference, as captured by Sporza. "I feel good and am very confident. In the Algarve, I didn't necessarily have a great result, maybe a 6th place at best." However, the Belgian's focus is on the longer efforts, the short climbs and the endurance required to have a top level after hours of nervous racing in a peloton where there is a constant fight for positioning.

Into Omloop het Nieuwsblad, he believes in a more unpredictable race this time around. "It could all kick off at 100 kilometers to go. Before it was more possible for more people to reach the finale together, this time around it's more possible that there will be a much more open race. You never know when Mathieu will attack, so why not try yourself?"

However, despite having withstood his attacks last year at the Renewi Tour in which he won, De Lie plays down his chances of matching the Dutch prodigy. "To follow Mathieu, I'm still lacking 50 watts. On the other hand, a day on the attack with Mathieu and snatching a podium spot wouldn't be bad either."

"With him, you never know where the finale will break loose. It could very well be on the Molenberg. Will I follow him? Maybe I should be a bit smarter. Like last year during the Renewi Tour where I opted for a lower gear on the Muur and raced defensively."

So will it be wise for the Belgian to save his bullets and hope for a sprint to play out? This could well be the scenario unfolding taking into consideration the amount of sprinters at the start; and the uncertainty of form for many riders at this time of year.

"Can I beat Magnier and Philipsen?" Why not? It's the kind of sprint that you win with your head as much as anything - and in my head I'm good," he says. Last year it was Soren Waerenskjold who took the victory in a reduced bunch sprint, making it quite a feasible scenario.

But that will depend on good legs on the day, which are not a certainty after a non-ideal preparation. "It wasn't perfect yet, that's life. I've only been sprinting in training for a month. My ankle injury prevented me from doing it sooner. Not that I feel behind at the moment. It's getting better every day, but I still have to work on becoming the best version of myself."

"There are many options. The section between the Berendries and the Muur is a bit easier, so anything is possible. I have to stay alert at the front with my teammates. The Molenberg will be the most important point of the day. We need to be in a good position there,"