Arnaud De Lie: “A strong result in Flanders or Roubaix would be ideal for me”

Arnaud De Lie begins his spring campaign 2026 During the Opening Weekend. Due to an ankle ligament injury, Lotto-Intermarché, through Aike Visbeek, expects that a top-10 finish in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is the maximum for now. In the Alpecin Barbershop, the leader of the Belgian team previously told WielerFlits that he is especially looking forward to the Monuments in early April.

The first months and weeks after the merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty are behind us. It took some getting used to according to De Lie, but he says the atmosphere among the riders has been excellent. The Bull of Lescheret is looking forward to the coming weekend. “Omloop Het Nieuwsblad suits me well, with the Muur of Geraardsbergen. I have great memories there. I’ve always performed well. It’s also a special race for me because I achieved my first WorldTour podium there ever. So it’s one of my favorite classics.”

After a kickstart to his pro career, De Lie missed the gas pedal during the classics over the last two seasons. Yet he dreams of a starring role particularly in the Monuments. “Milan-San Remo is tough with Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel. That race is on my mind but maybe for later. I’m also looking forward to my first Tour of Flanders this year. I rode Paris-Roubaix three years ago already, and it’s also one of my favorite races. Winning a Monument is super hard. But a strong result in Flanders or Roubaix would be ideal for me.”

The most beautiful memories from his career are the races in Canada, where he already won the GP de Québec. Later this year is the World Championships in neighboring Montréal. “I’ve done it three times before and it’s improving every year. Why wouldn’t I go there to ride my first Worlds as a pro? That’s an experience for the rest of your career. I rode one Worlds as a junior and that was super special. When I was a kid watching cycling, the big event of the year was to watch the Worlds. Winning that rainbow jersey is incredibly special. But first, I am focusing on the spring. I’d be super happy to add a new WorldTour classic to my palmarès.”