"The Tour is a huge witchcraft, nothing comparable to a Belgian Championship. The stress, the pressure, the greatness of it.De Lie is also making his debut in a Grand Tour, he has never ridden a Giro or Vuelta. It will require some things from him mentally."
"And sprinting at the Tour is really a fight to the death. De Lie is not afraid of that, certainly not, but he sometimes makes mistakes in terms of positioning, which is normal for a 22-year-old boy. Those small mistakes are immediately punished severely in the Tour. But there are eight sprint opportunities and after a selective stage there are definitely opportunities for De Lie."