On Thursday, Lotto Dstny announced what’s been bothering Arnaud De Lie in the Classics: Lyme disease. Initially, the team thought his struggles were due to getting sick at the team’s training camp and a crash at Le Samyn. On Monday, the team issued a statement saying due to those factors he wasn’t able to do as well as expected.
“Several setbacks due to which De Lie isn’t able to perform at 100 per cent at these classics. Together with De Lie, the team’s management and performance department decided the young Belgian rider will not start in the upcoming classics,” it read. “He will take some time to reset and build up towards the second part of the season. The date to come back in competition will be finally determined soon.”
Arnaud de Lie is so fast he won a race in Belgium with one leg
On Thursday, there was another update from the team, which mentioned the bacterial infection.
Treatment has begun
“After a further check-up, Arnaud De Lie was diagnosed with Lyme disease after having found antibodies for Lyme in his blood,” the statement on X read. “It’s possible, as a Lyme diagnosis is never 100 per cent conclusive, the reason why De Lie couldn’t perform on a high level the past races. Treatment with antibiotics has been started, speedy recovery Arnaud.”
Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is a tick-borne illness prevalent in regions with dense forests or grassy areas. Characterized by a distinctive bull’s-eye rash called erythema migrans, Lyme disease manifests flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches. If untreated, it can lead to more severe complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system. Diagnosis relies on clinical symptoms and laboratory tests. Early detection through prompt tick removal and antibiotic treatment is crucial to prevent long-term complications.
Most likely tick bite
A report from Cycling Weekly stated that the physicians that were in charge of De Lie think it was due to a tick bite. That is a common source for the infection.
It is usually treated with a 28-day course of antibiotics. The team has not announced when they expect De Lie to return to racing.
According to an article in Het Nieuwsblad Lotto Dstny manager Stéphane Heulot said they are taking things day by day. “We are not talking about the Tour de France yet. We are just working towards his next race,” he said. “Arnaud must now first complete a good training block….
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