ProTeam’s Arnaud De Lie Finishes Sixth at Belgian Championships

Arnaud De Lie of ProTeam put on an impressive sprint to secure sixth place at the Belgian championships in Middelkerke. Despite a strong race from Lotto Soudal, they were unable to claim a higher spot on the podium.

Photo: Photo News

Lotto Soudal rode aggressively from the start of the race, with Brent Van Moer and Maxim Van Gils joining an early breakaway of 14 riders. While the breakaway gained a significant lead, the peloton faced intense competition in the feared Moeren section. The peloton split into two, with Arnaud De Lie among the Lotto Soudal riders leading the way.

“This was a very good situation for us,” said Arnaud De Lie after the race. “It is always better to be present in the front than having to chase behind. This way we were at ease.”

As the front group merged with the first part of the peloton, a new series of attacks ensued. Florian Vermeersch joined a new leading group but was unable to secure the decisive move as the leaders were caught by the rest of the peloton. Lotto Soudal made the decision to focus on Arnaud De Lie’s chances in a bunch sprint and successfully bridged the gap between the peloton and the leaders. In the end, Arnaud De Lie finished sixth in the sprint for the Belgian title.

“I am disappointed with this sixth place, it’s not what I came here for,” expressed neopro Arnaud De Lie. “I think we were just one rider short in the final stretch. Very unfortunate. But at the same time, I think we rode a very good race as a team, where we were always in control. It is too bad we cannot finish the work off with a win. But there are enough positives to take from this race as well.”