It is official that Arnaud de Lie has signed a four-year contract with Tudor Pro Cycling through 2030. It is a big move for a former Belgian national champion and multiple WorldTour race winner, especially since he is leaving Lotto-Intermarche, the team where he started his career.
Last year was clearly tough for him, as his 2025 Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana were affected by injury and illness. He has since made his return to racing at the ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg, and in the announcement, he mentioned that he wants to settle in and keep improving.
Moving from a familiar setup to a ProTeam like Tudor is an interesting call. On one hand, he gets a fresh start after a difficult season. On the other, he is leaving a WorldTour environment for a project that has high ambitions but is currently at the ProTeam level. It is a gamble on the future of the team's trajectory.
Was moving from a familiar Lotto-Intermarche setup to an ambitious but still ProTeam-level Tudor project the right career choice for Arnaud de Lie?
Do you think the stability of a long-term contract through 2030 outweighs the risk of leaving a WorldTour team?