# Rising Star: Arnaud De Lie Joins Lotto Soudal WorldTeam
Arnaud De Lie, a promising 19-year-old cyclist from Lescheret, Belgium, is set to make his mark on the professional cycling world as he transitions from the Lotto Soudal Development Team to the WorldTeam on January 1, 2022. With a two-year agreement now in place, De Lie is eager to showcase his talents following a standout season.
Although he is only in his first year as an U23 rider, De Lie has already achieved impressive results. Last season, he clinched the national title in the junior category and finished third at the European Championships in Plouay. In addition to his national win in Anzegem, De Lie secured the overall victory at the ‘Belgium Cup,’ triumphed in the Vlaams-Brabantse Pijl, and earned top ten finishes in prestigious events like Paris-Roubaix and Harelbeke.
“Personally, it is more than a dream come true. At the start of the season, I didn’t even know what 2021 would bring, due to the whole Covid situation. Somehow, I managed to convince Lotto Soudal,” states De Lie, reflecting on his journey.
Despite starting his U23 season later in 2021, he made a remarkable entrance by finishing third at the GP Vermarc, which was won by Álvaro Hodeg. His performance continued to shine at the Giro U23, where he achieved three top ten results. Recently, De Lie soloed to victory at the GP Color Code in Bassenge, marking the first leg of the U23 Road Series.
“Multiple teams were interested, but I deliberately chose Lotto Soudal. In the end, the team has given me the chance and offered me great support to start racing at the U23 category. In January, I already joined the team training camp in Spain where I could train with amongst others Brent Van Moer, John Degenkolb, Tim Wellens and Philippe Gilbert. Phil really is my idol. And now I will be his teammate…,” he shared.
Arnaud De Lie views himself primarily as a Classics rider, though he also possesses strong finishing speed and time trial capabilities.
“Just give me some time. I definitely still need to improve my time trialing and maybe also the rest as well. If it’s too early to turn pro? I don’t think so. Look at what riders like Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogačar perform. I definitely don’t want to compare myself with them, I want to build my own career, but I am really ambitious,” he asserts.
Lotto Soudal’s General Manager, John Lelangue, expressed confidence in De Lie’s potential, stating, “Ambition is the first step. Arnaud is a big talent and we will monitor his evolution very carefully. Step by step, just like we’re doing with all of our young guys. There are already a lot of them in the team, but everything fits into a thoughtful project. We build the future and in 2021, the young guys already showed themselves really well. Also Arnaud won’t disappoint us. We count on him but most of all, he can count on the team!”
As Arnaud De Lie begins this exciting new chapter, the cycling community is eager to see what the future holds for this rising star.
