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Up-and-coming Belgian sprinter Arnaud De Lie has opted for a radically completely different stance to the peloton’s ordinary hopes for good climate in Milan-San Remo and shall be crossing his fingers for rain and snow subsequent Saturday in northern Italy.
Already a notable second on his debut at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad final month, De Lie shall be racing the Italian Monument for the primary time in his profession this weekend, simply two days earlier than he turns 21.
And as he advised Belgian newspaper La Dèrnière Heure (opens in new tab), he’s hoping for equally foul racing situations to the notorious snow-blighted version of Milan-San Remo 2013.
“That is not what they’d like within the staff, however me, I would favor the climate to be dangerous and even rain, I’m going significantly better within the rain,” De Lie stated. “Sure, rain, and snow too, on Saturday – that’d be good for me.”
De Lie has checked out the San Remo finale twice, as soon as in early February and once more final weekend after he deserted Paris-Good. Chatting with La Dernière Heure shortly after he stop the French stage race, he stated his last construct up for La Primavera was for 2 onerous coaching periods on Monday and Wednesday, then to have two days of relaxation previous to the occasion itself.
With the Milan-San Remo route taking in virtually 300km in a single day, the race would be the longest race De Lie has ever accomplished, however he denied that he could be daunted by that.
“No, no, it is 40 minutes greater than Plouay or Gent-Wevelgem, races I’ve already accomplished. I’ll shut my eyes and never take into consideration these 40 further minutes.”
“We’ll have a very good staff, with Pascal Eenkhoorn, Jacopo Guarnieri and Frederik Frison, for instance. But it surely will not be as much as us to regulate the race, we must always simply use our riders to ensure we’re well-placed for Capo Berta, which is the toughest of the three capi.”
“Then we now have to be in a very good place once more for the Cipressa, and I hope, in the event that they’re nonetheless up there, earlier than the Poggio. For those who’re the place you need to be at these factors, then it comes right down to having good legs. With out good legs, there isn’t any probability of you getting over the Cipressa efficiently and even much less probability of getting over the Poggio.”
Aside from taking care of De Lie, Lotto-Dstny’s major aim shall be to care for Caleb Ewan, and the query of how the staff will deal with two sprinters in the identical line-up, one a double San Remo podium finisher and one a race rookie, will possible solely turn into clear on the day itself.
However De Lie argues in any case that there’s “little probability” of each he and Ewan ending up within the entrance group and combating for the victory subsequent Saturday on the Through Roma.
“Possibly we’ll each nonetheless be up there on the foot of the Cipressa, then afterwards we’ll have a dialogue,” he stated. “By the highest of that climb, we’ll have an thought of who’s going properly or not. And if we’re each nonetheless up there on the prime of the Poggio, then it will be as much as the staff’s sports activities administrators to do their job.”
“However hopefully we’ll each be there, that will improve our possibilities of the race staying collectively and by chance we’re each very quick.”
In any case, De Lie dominated out going for a pre-bunch dash assault in his first-ever San Remo participation, in the way in which that he did to such memorable impact at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
“No,” he stated. “You’d must be lots stronger than I’m proper now. In different races, even in Het Nieuwsblad for instance, I did assault, however that race is completely different. I might already accept getting over the Poggio after which I would must see how I felt afterwards. That might rely lots on how the race is taking part in out.”
Whereas San Remo’s finales are well-known for creating a number of completely different, unpredictable, situations, De Lie’s needs for dangerous climate on Saturday look unlikely to fulfilled. The present forecast for all this week for the San Remo space – and all of northern Italy in actual fact – is for dry, heat climate and temperatures to rise to 15-20°C.
However, come rain or shine, the Belgian will certainly wish to be within the thick of the motion on Saturday.
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