Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe is already thinking about the transfer market: a sprinter is in their sights.

De Lie, the future is uncertain

Arnaud De Lie’s contract with Lotto-Intermarché expires in December 2026, and the market is already moving early. The 23-year-old Walloon is one of the most interesting profiles in European cycling among the new generation of sprinters, and it is no surprise that the top teams have already started to explore the situation.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe wants to fill a gap in the transfer market

According to the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe has identified De Lie as the solution to a specific tactical gap: the team currently lacks a clear reference rider for cobbled races and for sprint finishes in the Northern Classics.

Manager Ralph Denk has reportedly already classified the De Lie dossier as a priority. Within the team there are already complementary riders such as Gianni Vermeersch, Laurence Pithie and the Van Dijke brothers, who could form a strong lead-out train around the Belgian in case of a transfer.

Read also: Pogačar vs Van der Poel at Roubaix, Gilbert speaks: “If Van der Poel takes a corner and…”

A rider who has already beaten the best

De Lie does not yet have a top-tier victory on his palmarès, but he has already shown he can compete at the highest level. His win at last year’s Eneco Tour — achieved in a direct battle with Mathieu van der Poel — remains one of the most significant moments of his young career. At just 23 years old, he still has significant room for improvement.

Lotto does not want to let De Lie go

On the other side, Lotto-Intermarché has no intention of giving up its leading rider without a fight. The Belgian team has been building its sporting project around him for years, and the likely departure of Lennert Van Eetvelt — increasingly close to leaving — could free up enough financial resources to approach rival offers and present a competitive renewal. For his part, De Lie has never shown signs of frustration toward a team that has trusted him and given him a leading role since his debut.

Dai un’occhiata alle altre notizie uscite qui su Universo Sportivo e rimanete aggiornati sui social con Universo Calcistico.