Arnaud De Lie had already predicted that it wouldn’t be an easy race. A tough course combined with dreadful weather at the start proved him right. But no one could have foreseen just how chaotic the race would become. After 12 kilometers, the race was halted due to yet another issue with vehicles on the course, leading to total confusion. Some teams decided to withdraw from the race, while others wanted to continue. There was no unanimous decision among teams and riders.
“I initially got into the car to warm up. Over the radio, we heard that if we didn’t restart, it would be the end of the Etoile de Bessèges for good. That really hit me. Rider safety comes first, absolutely. A car on the course is unacceptable. But at the same time, races like these can only continue to exist because of the riders. It’s thanks to these organizers that we have the opportunity to live our passion. Baptiste (Veistroffer, red.) and I lost contact with the rest of our team amidst all the chaos. We were already moving forward again, while the others were preparing to head back to the team bus, just like many other teams,” De Lie explained. “It was pure chaos.”
Once the race officially restarted at kilometer 22—after several more kilometers of uncertainty and a neutralized section—the team decided not to pull its two riders from the competition and to keep racing. “It was a dilemma for everyone, but in the end, I didn’t overthink it and just kept going. At first, we were about 20 riders, but eventually, around 60 continued. I hope I made the right choice. I also did it out of respect for the organizers—they have an incredibly tough job. And I won, in this weather—which I love—after such a crazy day. It felt a bit heroic. I’m really happy with this victory.”
