Arnaud De Lie has been a dominant force in 2023, triumphing in 10 races. However, during the Lotto Famenne Ardenne Classic on Sunday, he achieved something extraordinary…winning a race with just one leg. The stage was set after 188 kilometers when the peloton regrouped, setting the stage for a bunch sprint featuring some of the fastest riders in the professional peloton, including Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), De Lie himself, and Florian Sénéchal (Soudal Quick-Step).
As the race neared its conclusion, the Lotto Dstny rider held a significant lead over the other sprinters. However, disaster struck as his foot unexpectedly slipped out of the pedal, resulting in a broken cleat. With Groves of Alpecin-Deceuninck rapidly closing in from his left, De Lie faced a critical decision–to continue pedaling with only his left leg.
Remarkably, he managed to eke out eight unsteady pedal revolutions, just enough to maintain his lead.In an even bolder move, he opted for a one-legged bike throw at a staggering speed of 60 km/h, momentarily throwing him off balance and perilously close to the barriers, almost crashing into the dust.
Witness the breathtaking finish below.
What a finish!@Arnaud_De_Lie held on to win the Lotto Famenne Ardenne Classic despite unclipping before the line!
Watch the race replay over on GCN+ 👉 https://t.co/8FSJcLL3Gx pic.twitter.com/lURUrRcrro
— GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) October 1, 2023
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