INEOS is suddenly blown away by powerful Arensman, but poor start to the Giro is not forgotten yet...
Thymen Arensman is gradually finding his rhythm in this Giro d’Italia. Geraint Thomas, team leader, took notice after stage six over gravel, and Zak Dempster, team director, also praised the Dutchman at IDLProCycling.com. A resurgence in a major tour seems imminent, although INEOS is seeking answers for another poor start in the Giro.
Arensman currently sits in 26th place after six days, primarily due to the challenging first two days of the Giro. On the first day, the Dutchman encountered early setbacks, and the following day, with the finish at Oropa, didn’t fare much better. “When things aren’t right mentally, it’s tough to push your body to the limit, making it very challenging to find your rhythm. But things will improve from now on. The Giro is still long, and I’m targeting the third week regardless. It’s not an ideal start, but I’m still feeling good,” Arensman remarked after two disappointing days before the start of stage 3.
The climber’s words seemed to ring true. He showed promise on day six, when the gravel sections in Tuscany appeared, and INEOS Grenadiers accelerated at the head of the peloton. Following Filippo Ganna and Magnus Sheffield, Arensman made his move. “Thymen’s presence in the lead was primarily to deter attacks. UAE-Team Emirates even lost a few riders because of it, so it wasn’t a bad move for us. But over the radio, I did advise him to take it easy, as this wasn’t our main focus at that point in the race,” Dempster chuckled afterward, emphasizing Arensman’s strength.
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Thymen Arensman on day two to Oropa
INEOS Grenadiers aims to find solution for Arensman’s poor start in Grand Tours
“I mentioned at the beginning of the Giro that Thymen has never had a poor third week in a major tour. Now, on day six, he already feels more like himself. As a team, we believe in him and in the process we’ve used to prepare him,” the Australian sports director continued optimistically. “In the initial days, he clearly wasn’t himself, so it was a matter of offering support and keeping his spirits up. In cycling, there are always highs and lows, and it’s fantastic to see him back on form. We’re fully behind him, and together, we’ll keep pushing forward. Who knows what’s possible; I believe he’ll perform well from now on.”
However, Dempster also addresses the issue. “Historically, he never feels at his best at the start of a major tour. But some guys would also like to feel like Thymen in the third week. Finding that balance is what we’re working on. Every rider has strengths and weaknesses, and our job as a performance team is to unlock their full potential. With Thymen, it’s evident that he doesn’t feel comfortable at the start of a major tour, but we believe he has the capabilities. Together, we’ll strive to address this better in the next big tour.”