Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) claimed his first victory of the 2023 season on his first race day, triumphing in a reduced bunch sprint at the Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Belgian is tipped for big things after a stunning debut season featuring nine victories. He picked up where he left off with a victory that showcased his ability to overcome tough terrain before finishing fastest.
After a hilly day of racing, a reduced peloton gathered for the finish on an uphill drag in La Nucia, and De Lie was a convincing winner ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies) and Jenthe Biermans (Arkéa-Samsic)
The Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana, also known as the Gran Premier València, marked the start of the European season after the Tour Down Under kicked off the campaign in Australia last week.
On offer was a 190km route from Valencia, capital of the region, down south to La Nucia in the corner of the Costa Blanca that plays host to so many pro team training camps during the winter. The opening portion was flat, but the parcours became increasingly hilly, with the category-3 Alto de Barx preceding the longer cat-2 Alto de Bizauca, which topped out 25km from the line.
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