Official: Arnaud De Lie leaves Lotto-Intermarché and signs with Tudor until 2030

One of the most talked-about open secrets of this transfer market has finally become reality: Arnaud De Lie will leave Lotto-Intermarché to join Tudor starting in 2027. The official announcement came on Monday, putting an end to weeks of rumors and speculation circulating in the industry.

Lotto-Intermarché confirmed this morning the departure of their young champion after six seasons together, and curiosity about his next destination was short-lived: just a few hours later, Tudor announced the 24-year-old's arrival in the Swiss ProTeam squad.

For those who follow Fantacycling, this transfer deserves attention: De Lie is not just a pure sprinter, but an extremely versatile rider, even if he disappointed last season.

His palmares, however, speaks for itself and in the event of a relaunch he could be an interesting asset for fantasy managers in view of next season: 35 victories achieved in very different contexts, from the general of the Renewi Tour and the Tour of Denmark, to the GP de Québec , passing through the title of Belgian National Champion, the Tro Bro Léon and the GP de Plouay.

However, there's one missing piece in his career that fantasy football managers should keep in mind: in his four Grand Tour appearances, De Lie has never scored a victory. 2024 was the second consecutive season marred by injuries and various ailments: the Belgian had to withdraw from both the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia before the end of the first week due to illness.

A sobering fact for those who line him up for major stage races: so far this year he has only scored two victories, both on home soil, in his native Wallonia: the Famenne Classic, which he has already won three times in the last four editions, and a stage of the Tour de Wallonie.

Lotto-Intermarché wanted to bid farewell to its young talent with a touching message, underlining how De Lie was one of the most recognisable faces of the team, both in the youth sector and then as a professional, where he collected 9 victories in his first season (2022) and 10 in his second.

"You came to us as a young rider full of dreams. You will leave us as one of the biggest names in the peloton," reads the Belgian team's statement. "Belgian champion, World Tour winner, already 35 professional victories. We are proud to have witnessed your growth, and even prouder to have been a part of it."

In Tudor's official statement announcing the signing of this particularly long (four-year) contract, De Lie himself stated: "I can't wait to get started! My priority is to settle in, get to know the team, and continue to improve as a rider. Instead of talking about lofty goals right away, I want to work hard and see how much we can grow together. That's the key to long-term success."

Tudor is building an ambitious project around several top names: the team recently announced three contract renewals through 2028 with some of its most iconic riders. These include Matteo Trentin , a classics specialist and former Tour de France stage winner, and 35-year-old Marco Haller , winner of the Cyclassics Hamburg and another outstanding one-day race talent, who confirmed this will be his final contract. Additionally, just a few days ago, the renewal of Marco Brenner , recent Tour de Pologne winner, arrived, signing one of the longest contracts in cycling today.

Meanwhile, De Lie is enjoying his final months in the Lotto-Intermarché jersey: he has already confirmed his participation in the Renewi Tour, a race he won last year, and in the two Canadian World Tour stages in Quebec and Montreal.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency