An explanation for his disappointing results at the start of the season. Belgian cyclist Arnaud De Lie, winner of the Quebec Grand Prix last season, is suffering from Lyme disease, his Lotto-Dstny team said on Thursday.
“During further examinations, Lyme disease was diagnosed in Arnaud De Lie after the discovery of antibodies in his blood,” announced the Belgian team of the 22-year-old runner.
“This is possibly the reason why De Lie was not at a high level during his last races, knowing that a diagnosis of Lyme disease is never 100% conclusive,” she said. added. His team said he had started treatment with antibiotics.
Update: After a further check-up, Arnaud De Lie was diagnosed with the Lyme disease after having found antibodies for Lyme in his blood. It's possibly, as a Lyme diagnosis is never 100% conclusive, the reason why De Lie couldn't perform on a high level the past races. (1) https://t.co/xjPBV6mh51
— Lotto Dstny (@lotto_dstny) March 28, 2024
De Lie, 22, was still on a 51st place at the E3 Grand Prix and an anonymous 90th place at Ghent-Wevelgem when he announced on Monday that he was going to take a break. The “Lescheret bull” then mentioned “several reasons”, including an illness in January and a fall in February.
“It will take him some time to reset and prepare for the second part of the season,” his team added. It is not yet known when he will return to competition.
Lyme borreliosis or Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex transmitted to humans by the bites of infected ticks. Rarely fatal, it can cause flu-like symptoms, including muscle and joint pain, headache, nausea and vomiting.
According to a meta-analysis compiling studies published in 2022, more than 14% of the world's population has had Lyme disease.