Arnaud De Lie sprints to victory at Tro-Bro Léon

Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) held off chasers in the closing sprint to win the 2024 Tro-Bro Léon on Sunday, just one day after finishing third at Grand Prix Morbihan. Clément Venturini (Arkéa B&B Hotels) finished second while Pierre Gautherat (Décathlon AG2R La Mondiale) held off a surging Riley Sheehan (Israel-Premier Tech) for the final spot on the podium.

The 22-year-old Belgian overcame two punctures in the 203.6km race, the undulating terrain beginning from Le Carpont Plouguin this year and punctuated with 29 sectors of unpaved dirt roads that added up to 34.6 kilometres.

Seven riders got away for the day’s breakaway - Alexander Konijn (Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur), Aaron Gate (Burgo-BH), Kévin Avoine (Van Rysel-Roubaix), Danny Van Der Tuuk (Equipo Kern Pharma), Antoine Hue (CIC U Nantes Atlantique), Gorka Izagirre (Cofidis) and Morné Van Niekerk (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93). Van Niekerk was the final rider caught, with De Lie attacking at the front with just 6.5km from the finish in Lannils.

De Lie had to kick to the front again with 1km to go as a chase group closed him down and he held on for the win. Last year De Lie finished second to Giacomo Nizzolo in the sprint.

''I didn't make the same mistake as last year. As soon as I started to sprint I felt that I still had good legs. Winning here is really great,” said Le Lie, who gave a salute at the finish to replicate bull horns, a nod to his nickname “the bull from Lescheret’.

It was the second victory of the season for De Lie, who won a week ago at Lotto Famenne Ardenne Classic.

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