Victor Campenaerts looks forward to Arnaud De Lie's Tour debut: "He has to tackle it without pressure"
Cycling
After three seasons in the same team, Victor Campenaerts and Arnaud De Lie will part their ways next year. While De Lie will stick with Lotto Dstny for next few years, his mentor Campenaerts is reportedly returning to Visma | Lease a Bike in 2025. As surprising as it may seem, the two have created a special bond between eachother during that time - a friendship that will continue beyond their current contracts.
But before the two will each head their own path, they'll complete the rest of a season in same colours. And for De Lie there's one debut Campenaerts particularly looks forward - the Tour de France. "Arnaud's first, right," Campenaerts highlights the special experience for his teammate in a chat with Het Laatste Nieuws. "He has to tackle it without pressure. Although I do see some great opportunities. Stages that could potentially culminate in a sprint. But perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to slip into a breakaway that could carry you to the end."
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"I'm looking forward to making my debut with Victor by my side. He has tons of experience racing at Grand Tours and I can learn a lot from him." De Lie will also encounter Mathieu van der Poel at the Tour. Although the world champion will be at the service of Jasper Philipsen in the flat sprints, the two could compete against each other after a tougher stage. It would be the first time they'd clash against each other.
Campenaerts would like to see it happen: "I think that is a moment that many cycling fans are looking forward to. Resulting in a hundred thousand Instagram videos that will continue to appear on your timeline for up to six months after the competition."
De Lie himself has his doubts: "Mmm, but then I see it happening more in a one-day classic than in the Tour. Must be special, against such a great champion."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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