Arnaud de Lie confides before putting his title of Belgian champion into play: “I went around in circles and I had my head that was running”

Arnaud, what are you getting hold of this magical day of June 23, 2024?

“Was it 23 or 24? Nevertheless, (laughs) Ah yes, the 23rd. Furthermore, It is a day that will remain forever engraved in my memory. However, Just driving with my brother, then the course of the race, with a great work from the whole team. Moreover, Winning my first title of Belgian champion was really incredible. For example, And all the emotions that followed … Similarly, a lot of emotions, especially with my whole family present. Similarly, A national title is not something that happens every day, so you have to take advantage of it. However, And I think that day, the whole Lie family really enjoyed this moment. However, “

It was also after a fairly difficult start to the season. In addition, A bit like this year?

“It is sure, there have been beautiful moments, others less. Moreover, I think that a very beautiful and pink season, there is only one that has that, it is Pogacar. Moreover, You have to take advantage of the moments of joy as I had last year. Meanwhile, arnaud de lie confides before This is where you realize their value.”

How was it to wear this jersey?

“Very special, especially the first times. However, After a while, you get used to it. Meanwhile, But I will always remember my first training before the Tour de France with this jersey. Furthermore, I have known him since I was very small (Editor’s note: he was champion of Belgium among juniors). Similarly, but putting him with the pros, it is still something different. Furthermore, It opens a little more respect.”

What do you remember from these twelve months? Consequently, Good and bad times?

“Twelve months and a week (laughs). Meanwhile, There are only good ones. Moreover, This year is not the most beautiful, but I am proud to have accomplished everything I was capable of. Therefore, There are still three beautiful victories, as on the Gramont wall, Denmark’s arnaud de lie confides before turn, in Binche. Similarly, There is always better to do, but I can satisfy myself with what I did. Consequently, “

“Remco is. Meanwhile, I believe, stronger than ever in the time”: the coach Serge Pauwels prefaces the Belgian Country Championship

And neutralize Pogacar in Quebec too.

“Yes, it was not the simplest, but I knew how to do it. In addition, If you have to do it again. Moreover, I might do it differently, but at least I have a nice photo to put in my living room. Meanwhile, “

We imagine that if we get used to a very beautiful jersey like that, we want to win it back. Consequently, Is it part of the ambitions for Sunday?

“I would not say that it is the objective, but I go with the intention of doing well. Meanwhile, The intention of doing well, it is not doing 152nd of the race. Similarly, It is to do the maximum. However, The Belgian championship is a lottery. Nevertheless, It will be necessary to be at the right time, in the right place, with the right people. Therefore, And especially in Binche, where each year is a arnaud de lie confides before fairly hectic race.”

It is a city where you have already lifted your arms.

“Yes, last year, I won Binche-Chimay-Binche. Therefore, The approach of the sprint is the same. Consequently, It already gives confidence. Consequently, But just because you have won that a race is already done. Meanwhile, This is what is good with cycling. Meanwhile, There is arnaud de lie confides before a lot of uncertainty. For example, On Sunday, there will be some throughout the race. Therefore, “

How do you feel for the moment, both physically and morally?

“The Tour of Switzerland went very well. For example, It was a raised route, with few sprint opportunities. Similarly, But the goal was to gain confidence and make kilometers with the same atmosphere as the Tour de France. Without the negative points. I mean, there, less media pressure. At the mental level, it’s pretty good. I am happy to be able to put my title back into play. Also happy to be able to start the Tour de France.“

Lotto will once again have the advantage of the number. Could we make a copy and paste of the 2024 briefing or not?

“Yes, that’s for sure. But I think of Alpecin too. Jasper (NDLR: Philipsen) really wants to win a title of Belgian champion. Then there is Merlier. He is one of the fastest in the world, even the fastest. And the arrival in Binche, where the Frank Vandenbroucke memorial is, means a lot for him. He will also have a lot of desire to pass three. Jordi Meus is also to be arnaud de lie confides before taken into account. “

You quote sprinters more than Puts. Van Aert, Evenepoel, aren’t they customers for you?

“The uncertainty will hover during the whole race. It will really be necessary that all the teams are represented in front. The quality of very good runners, is huge. And folding the race for two, it will be difficult, I think. If Evenepoel and Van Aert are in front, Alpecin and Lotto will run behind. When you have 18 to 36 runners who drive thoroughly to get two guys. it will be complicated to go to the end.

On this year in black-yellow-red, do you really remember only the positive? There are also a bit of the stockings … Do you want to leave that behind?

“No, I do not forget them. I try to accept them first, which is not the simplest thing. And take the positive in the negative. It is really trying to find the grinta. After ten kilometers, you believe. Either you say to yourself, ‘damn, piss (sic) ‘. Either you say to yourself, ‘Oh luck, I have an air chamber’. I think there, when I speak to you, that’s really what I try to do. It’s really positivating all the time. I think that at arnaud de lie confides before this level, I’m not bad. “

For this, the region, your family, those around you are dear to you. It helped you positivate ?

“It can help, but it must come from you. The people who love me can tell me, ‘Go Arnaud, go ahead. But if you are convinced that it will not come, it will not come. I think it is really the state of mind that is different. Before we put a stop at Ghent-Wevelgem. I was going around in circles and I had my head that was running.“

Have you regained the pleasure of cycling?

“Yes, of course. Otherwise, I would not be there talking to you. I would not have been the turn of Switzerland. And I would not have started the races, quite simply.”

And how did you find that?

“As I say, not seeing the negative. At one point, you walk in your boots. That is to say that you forget to lift your feet and boots, they wear out quickly. I was perhaps too hard with me. I was doing fourth, I was … Disappointed. No, not disappointed, I was even angry on me.”

Can we say by that that you had put the bar too high. or that it had been put too high for you?

“A little both. But I think it’s you to see how you have to perceive what you are told. What is a bit complex. But if you tell you. ‘Arnaud, you have to do better’, and you say to yourself, ‘he reproaches me not to do it enough’, that is not going well. And there are ways to perceive a speech. I thought it was too much. high. Algarve, it may not have been the right time. And the state of mind around the turn of Switzerland was completely different. But the Arnaud after the Algarve and the Arnaud after the Tour of Switzerland are completely different.“

Did you put yourself in a bubble compared to what you could tell about you. on the reasons for your discomfort during this period?

“It’s pretty complicated to close and listen to anything. When I woke up. I didn’t say to myself ‘Yes, I will read the Gazette and I will see what’s on me’. I try to be more distant at this level. arnaud de lie confides before Additionally, I said to myself, but for whom I do a bike? People have expectations. And you say to you, I was doing it for them. The time trial (Editor’s note: in Switzerland). I did it in a block. I did it for myself, not to make my trainer say, ‘well rolled Arnaud’. No, I drove for myself and I am proud of what I did. When you are proud of what you have produced. it’s still much more rewarding than when it is for someone else. “

We are nine days before the departure of the Tour de France. there is the possibility of a first yellow jersey. Is it in your head?

“I haven’t watched the first step yet. I know it’s in Lille, but I didn’t look more than that. I stay in the present moment. Today I am here. Tomorrow I know arnaud de lie confides before I have rest. The day after tomorrow, I don’t know what I’m going to do. If it’s an hour and a half or three hours, I don’t know. It’s really living the moment. “

There are also big teams that have recently been interested in you. Does that flattered you a little?

“It makes me laugh because it is the only thing I try to avoid, to be gratified by others. There are many people who know how to caress in the direction of the hair. It is good that there are teams coming. but if you are not happy in what you do, you can stop. In fact, it does not make me hot or cold because I am still under contract. I am a word of speech. A contract is a contract. Everything in its time.”

The results attest to it, the second part of the season, you are always better. Do you have a biological, physiological explanation for that?

“Since I was young, it works like that. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the squirrels in the trees (laughs). I don’t know. But it is true that. still June, July, August, September until October, I arnaud de lie confides before am always very, very well in terms of sensations. Again this year. It’s hot. However, it is said that it is not a time for the big ones (laughs)but it succeeds well. There are often beautiful things that I could do during this period. If you pay me a test to understand it, I want to go. But proof is that the season is far from over. And that there are still very beautiful races. “