Arnaud De Lie Claims Victory in GP Du Morbihan, Proving Good Form
20-year-old Belgian, Arnaud De Lie, showcased his talent by sprinting to victory in the Grand Prix Du Morbihan in Plumelec. With a strong performance from his ProTeam, De Lie emerged as the fastest in the peloton, defeating Frenchman Romain Gregoire in an uphill sprint.
The race in Bretagne covered a distance of just over 188 kilometers. After 17 kilometers, a group of six riders broke away from the peloton.
With about 50 kilometers left to go, the peloton caught up to the breakaway group. Lotto Dstny took control of the race in the final stages, neutralizing several attacks. As the race headed towards the finish line, a reduced bunch prepared for the sprint.
De Lie demonstrated his speed and strength in the sprint, stating, “I am extremely happy with this victory. Everything went as we had hoped beforehand. I was excellently surrounded by my teammates, which allowed me to tackle the climb well time after time. The rest of the team controlled the race in the peloton and blocked the attempts of other riders to break away during the local laps.”
De Lie has always felt comfortable racing in Bretagne and had long dreamed of winning in Plumelec. He shared, “I like to race in Bretagne. The roads and climbs suit me here and I knew I had good form. In 2016, I saw on television how Sagan became European champion here in Plumelec. I was impressed and looked up to him. Since then, I have dreamt of winning here. I came close to victory a few times in recent weeks, so it feels good to finally achieve it.”
The Lotto Dstny rider expressed his gratitude towards his teammates, emphasizing the team effort involved. He said, “This really is a team effort. I was surrounded by my companions throughout the race, they controlled the race so that we could start the last climb in an excellent position. They did perfect work and I am very proud that I could reward this hard work with a victory.”
Image: Cassandra Donne
