Boonen questions Lotto-Intermarché’s decision to start De Lie at Tour de France

Tom Boonen has questioned Lotto-Intermarché's decision to allow Arnaud De Lie to start the Tour de France following the former Belgian Champion's struggles with illness ahead of the Grand Départ in Barcelona. 

The 24-year-old had missed the team presentation and was unable to complete his reconnaissance of the opening team time trial before visibly struggling through the first weekend of racing, suffering from illness. Despite a spirited battle on Monday, De Lie was forced to abandon the Tour on stage 3.

After his withdrawal, Boonen questioned the team's decision to persist with De Lie's Tour participation.

“It was already a problem that [Arnaud] De Lie came to the Tour de France,” Boonen said on Vive le Vélo. "He should never have been allowed to start."

Boonen argued that sending De Lie to the Tour unwell meant the outcome of an early withdrawal from the race was always likely, and the possibility of his condition improving was unlikely.

“I don’t know what the team’s reasoning was. 'We’ll see if things improve', perhaps? I haven’t often seen a rider get better during the Tour.”

The former world champion believes the combination of De Lie's illness, the intense heat and the demanding opening stages meant the 24-year-old was always going to be facing an uphill task.

“If you’re already ill in the days leading up to it, the weather’s so hot and the start’s so tough, just say you’re going home. Or better still: as a team, don’t let him start.”

De Lie had also been forced to abandon the Giro d'Italia on stage 4 after falling ill, raising questions over whether he felt added pressure to perform at the Tour. Boonen believes the decision to race has only intensified the spotlight surrounding the Belgian.

"Do you think that's made the pressure any less? It has actually makes the problem even bigger," said Boonen.

"If it's not working, it's not working. Sometimes you have those years when nothing goes right. It's wiser to try to find the cause than to carry on riding here, because everyone will remember this too," he added.

Boonen concluded by saying the priority should now be to identify the root of De Lie’s struggles.

"Whether it's a physical or mental problem doesn't matter. You can work on a mental problem as well. It can even be resolved more quickly than a physical problem if you can't find the cause of that."