The young Belgian runner will only be able to return to competition in a few months.
Not really at his best level since the start of the season, the young Belgian runner Arnaud de Lie suffers from Lyme disease according to his Lotto-Dstny training after exams taken this week. The Belgian sprinter, only 22 years old, who has 19 victories under his belt among the pros, Belgium’s great hope, had a series of poor performances, notably remaining in 90th place in Ghent-Wevelgem. “It will take him some time to reset and prepare for the second half of the season,” his team said in an official statement.
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
In detail, Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is transmitted during the bite of a tick infected with borrelia, a bacteria from the spirochete family. The infection often has no symptoms but can in certain cases lead to a sometimes disabling illness, as explained by Santé Publique France. Rarely fatal, it can cause flu-like symptoms, including muscle and joint pain, headaches, nausea and vomiting.