The start of the Giro d’Italia has turned into a nightmare for Belgian rider Arnaud De Lie. Although the first three stages in Bulgaria were relatively flat and suited his sprinting abilities, the Lotto-Intermarché rider is still battling a stomach virus he contracted during the Fammene Ardenne Classic after being exposed to cow manure on the course.
The infection prevented him from attending Wednesday’s team presentation but did not stop him from starting the Giro on Friday. In the third stage, De Lie was once again seen struggling on the climbs, falling behind the peloton. His former Lotto teammate, Victor Campenaerts, who rode with him for three years, dropped back to help him rejoin the group, even offering him his own bidon to regain strength and stay on the bike—a remarkable show of camaraderie.
De Lie spoke about his ordeal, revealing that he started feeling unwell on the flight from Belgium to Bulgaria. “I felt worse and worse, I’ve never felt so bad in my life,” he said. After the peloton’s transfer from Bulgaria to Italy on Monday, De Lie will have an extra day to rest and recover from the stomach virus, which has become one of the most talked-about stories in the Giro’s opening stages.
