ProTeam Arnaud De Lie finishes Breton weekend with second place in Tro-Bro Leon

After an impressive victory in GP du Morbihan Arnaud De Lie takes home a second podium place of the weekend.
07 May 2023

Arnaud De Lie just missed out on a double victory in Tro-Bro Leon, but still looks back on a successful weekend: "I would have signed for a first and second place beforehand. A double victory would of course have been even better, but I am satisfied." The 20-year-old rider was beaten in the sprint by Giacomo Nizzolo.

A day after the GP du Morbihan, the peloton once again rode through Bretagne, this time over the famous unpaved roads of Tro-Bro Leon. The course consisted of just under 30km of gravel roads in total.

In the final of the race, De Lie, Vermeersch and Van Moer set off with a large leading group of 31 riders. There, De Lie defended his position in the front group: "I knew beforehand that I had to ensure a good position in that final uphill stretch," he said afterwards. "So I put pressure on for a moment in the hope of breaking away from the peloton."

A few riders managed to keep up and eventually De Lie started the final kilometers with four companions, but Laurent Pichon and fast man Giacomo Nizzolo returned just before the finish. "I felt that I wasn't the best in this group. In the end, my legs got a little better, but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be," De Lie said.

In the finale, Venturini tried to surprise with a late attack, but De Lie closed the gap and it came down to a sprint. "It was really close. I started a little too early and lost by just 10 centimeters. Nizzolo was able to benefit from my lead-out in the sprint, went with my slipstream and took the win."

De Lie ultimately looks back on a successful weekend in Brittany: "I came here hoping to take a win home. I succeeded. The team has once again shown that we are there to compete. A first and a second place, that's super strong. Of course, it would have been even better to score twice, but that's a goal for next year. I am satisfied."

Picture: Cassandra Donne

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