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Teams & Riders Arnaud De Lie’s Hips Don’t Lie Discussion Thread

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I agree that it would be more compatible than with a Jakobsen for example (that's just an absolute no go) but I don't agree that De Lie doesn't need a good leadout train. Placing is still a huge weakness for him, and definitely in real bunch sprints. The comparison with Van Aert is just not there. I wouldn't even call Van Aert a sprinter. He's the best allrounder in the world. De Lie isn't the best rouleur and he is too heavy to become a decent climber. I see him more as a Kritsoff type in that sense. If Remco really wants to win the Tour, I don't think there's a spot for a sprinter that needs like 3 guys around him atleast. Or not in a team like QS that can't just buy leadout riders that are also really good for a GC rider, like Laporte for example.

Anyways it's too early to tell anyways. I expect Lotto trying to come up with money (either extra from sponsors or hoping Ewan wants to get out of his contract) this year and try to extend his contract till '26. If it doesn't happen by the end of the year, then I'll start worrying.
The most obvious comparison, which a lot of people have made already, is with Sagan. He's the kind of rider that you can safely build a team around, and I expect Lotto will want to do so. Quickstep as well, but as you say, there you have the 'problem' Evenepoel. I don't see why Quickstep couldn't have 'bought' Laporte though, it's not like Jumbo has an Ineos or UAE scale of budget.
 
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Two months (Jan and Feb, 2023) now changed everything.

Before, it was Kooij and de Lie who were considered the greatest sprinters of all time.

Now, it‘s only de Lie who is considered greatest sprinter (plus Classique hunter) of all time.

Sad for Kooij, but de Lie indeed is the real deal. He looks like a bull on the bike, really powerful. Belgium‘s most expensive thighs, yet?
 
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Two months (Jan and Feb, 2023) now changed everything.

Before, it was Kooij and de Lie who were considered the greatest sprinters of all time.

Now, it‘s only de Lie who is considered greatest sprinter (plus Classique hunter) of all time.

Sad for Kooij, but de Lie indeed is the real deal. He looks like a bull on the bike, really powerful. Belgium‘s most expensive thighs, yet?
Potentially, right? They aren’t the best sprinters or classic hunters of all time and likely won’t ever become that.
 
Recently crossed paths with him during a training ride, in the area of Redu and Rochefort. Very beautiful roads and hills there, and he looked like he had a lot of fun with some of his friends. Curious about his schedule, I guess Lotto will try to line him up in more one day but also some smaller WT stage races, considering their hunt for UCI points.
I love Rochefort, my cousin had a house there.
 
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Snippet from an Interview with Humo.

HUMO: There are big teams that want to seduce you with a big money contract, are you aware of that?

De Lie: Yes. That's all well and good, but I still have a contract with Lotto-Dstny for 2 years. I feel good here. The team is changing a lot and I'm sure that the new approach will work.

HUMO: Do you prefer you current team over a team like UAE Team Emirates? There are rumours that it's especially them who want you.

De Lie: I am not looking for a transfer, no. When you're with one of those big teams, with their seemingly unlimited budgets, you don't find challenges anymore. I prefer a team like Lotto Dstny, a team that's reinventing themselves. I believe in the project and want to play a decisive role it.


Good signs for Lotto I would say but pls just don't end up at UAE. I would understand QS, but he won't ever have a team fully committed to him at UAE.
 
He seems very down to earth, I don’t think he cares about earning more when you already earn more than enough.

Whole interview is pretty good, I recommend reading it (it's behind a paywall, but I think you get like a free article on the Humo website).

He also says that only got a bank card 2 years ago. He never spends money, he doesn't care.
That being said. Lotto still needs to find the budget to pay him enough, it doesn't need to match wat UAE offers, but it should be close to what QS offers for example. He's not going to do charity work obviously. Plus 1 or 2 extra guys to reinforce the classic squad the upcoming years would be necessary too. Preferably guys that have power to play a role in a leadout too. Even tho I'm pretty sure a guy like Vermeersch will be pretty good in 2 or 3 years. And Segaert is there too. They still have the 3rd youngest squad of all the teams that are riding the Tour this year so there's definitely potential to grow.
 
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Whole interview is pretty good, I recommend reading it (it's behind a paywall, but I think you get like a free article on the Humo website).

He also says that only got a bank card 2 years ago. He never spends money, he doesn't care.
That being said. Lotto still needs to find the budget to pay him enough, it doesn't need to match wat UAE offers, but it should be close to what QS offers for example. He's not going to do charity work obviously. Plus 1 or 2 extra guys to reinforce the classic squad the upcoming years would be necessary too. Preferably guys that have power to play a role in a leadout too. Even tho I'm pretty sure a guy like Vermeersch will be pretty good in 2 or 3 years. And Segaert is there too. They still have the 3rd youngest squad of all the teams that are riding the Tour this year so there's definitely potential to grow.

Good luck keeping alive without ever spending money.
 
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Ah, de Lie at UAE would not really fit, would it?

I actually hope he stays with Lotto Dstny and the team continues to exist (difficult issue of lottery sponsor, and if they are allowed to stay in cycling). Lotto and de Lie, that fits.

Lefevere wants him too. De Lie is a „Flandrien“ like Museeuw or Lampaert, these are young men who were born to be either a farmer, or a road cyclist loving the cobbles.

De Lie makes Lotto Dstny the Number One team for the cobbles classics in spring 2023. Soudal now have the problem to have to rely on riders like Senechal, who - at peak of his strength - is just a class below a de Lie…
 
Ah, de Lie at UAE would not really fit, would it?

I actually hope he stays with Lotto Dstny and the team continues to exist (difficult issue of lottery sponsor, and if they are allowed to stay in cycling). Lotto and de Lie, that fits.

Lefevere wants him too. De Lie is a „Flandrien“ like Museeuw or Lampaert, these are young men who were born to be either a farmer, or a road cyclist loving the cobbles.

De Lie makes Lotto Dstny the Number One team for the cobbles classics in spring 2023. Soudal now have the problem to have to rely on riders like Senechal, who - at peak of his strength - is just a class below a de Lie…
What, no coal miners? ;)
 
Arnaud doing his best Sagan impression, captivating the crowds while finishing 42nd. Underwhelming spring so far, let's hope for better results at Dwars and P-R.

If it's underwhelming to you, that's probably your own fault for expecting way too much. He just turned 21 ffs.

What do you actually expect? That he magically comes back from a flat tyre just before the 2nd Kemmel?
 
If it's underwhelming to you, that's probably your own fault for expecting way too much. He just turned 21 ffs.

What do you actually expect? That he magically comes back from a flat tyre just before the 2nd Kemmel?

Better than:
FrgvQLLXoAI2p09


Yeah, I was hoping for better. Sorry to have offended you with my hopes and dreams.
 
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Not unreasonable to have expected a bit more after people saying he's better than Boonen and stuff like that.

He won't ever be able to follow Mathieu and Wout, but hes young and so he should have lots of possibilities in a few years when they decline and hes peaking to win the big prizes.
 
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Not unreasonable to have expected a bit more after people saying he's better than Boonen and stuff like that.

He won't ever be able to follow Mathieu and Wout, but hes young and so he should have lots of possibilities in a few years when they decline and hes peaking to win the big prizes.

I don't know that to be a fact.

Going by how he rode Omloop, it's not unreasonable to have had expectations for him. Of course, he had plenty of bad luck in GW which explains his lacklustre performance there.
 
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Not unreasonable to have expected a bit more after people saying he's better than Boonen and stuff like that.

Not him or anyone close to him or anyone with some sort of brain has said this. And if you believe other people saying that it's on you honestly.

He has had 1 bad race and that was MSR and people who actually thought he could already win that were simply clueless. He had never put out the watts you need to win MSR. Probably could've done a bit better than he did if he didn't get sick a few days before, but he was never going to be close to winning.

And there's obviously also a chance that he peaked for the opening weekend.
 

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