😎 The Grenadiers are back racing with the first stage of #VueltaBurgos well underway. @ThymenArensman returns to competition after a successful Giro - the Dutchman gave us his thoughts before the start today!
INEOS' rising star Arensman returns to racing after long break: "Needed a good reset"
CyclingMonday, 05 August 2024 at 14:12
Thymen Arensman is getting back on the bike for the first time since the Giro d'Italia. The 24-year-old Dutch rider has been selected by INEOS Grenadiers for the Vuelta a Burgos, which starts on Monday, August 5. The five-day stage race through Northern Spain is a traditional preparation race for the Vuelta a España, and we’ll see many notable names at the start.
Arensman's last race was on May 26 this year, the final stage of the Giro d'Italia. That was 71 days ago as of Monday. He finished that race in sixth place, just as he had in the 2023 Giro and the 2023 Vuelta. Speaking to IDLProCycling.com, the climber mentioned the need for thorough analysis, as he not only had a poor opening weekend but also gained five kilos during the Giro.
After INEOS Grenadiers had Arensman sign a new contract through the end of 2027, the focus shifted to training. He trained in his hometown of Andorra, with the Vuelta a España as the new goal on the horizon. If selected, it will be the third consecutive season Arensman competes in both the Giro and the Vuelta. It would also be his eighth grand tour in just five years as a pro cyclist.
The day before the Tour of Burgos, he looked ahead to the race. "It’s my first race in two and a half months. After the Giro, I took a lot of rest, which I needed. I was too hard on myself in the lead-up to the Giro, so I needed a good reset. Then I had a good training block and a high-altitude camp, which I really enjoyed."
"It was great with the team, and now I’m looking forward to racing again," Arensman continued before the Tour of Burgos. "What am I capable of? I’m curious about that myself. I’ve looked at the course, and it looks like it might suit me. The time trial in particular should suit me well, as I had good chronos in the Giro and have done some good sessions on the time trial bike. I’ll also do my best on the uphill finishes, as always."
Read more below the video.
Also returning in Burgos are Geoghegan Hart, Poole, Quintana and Vine
In the Vuelta a Burgos, Arensman will have the chance to show he has the legs to make an impact in Spain in August. He’ll be supported by experienced domestiques like Omar Fraile and Oscar Rodriguez, but the rest of the INEOS lineup is very young. Andrew August, Brandon Rivera, Michael Leonard and Kim Heiduk will also be part of the team.
Arensman will face some tough rivals in Burgos. At Lidl-Trek, Tao Geoghegan Hart is making his return after having to withdraw from the Tour de France following a crash in the Dauphiné. Team dsm-firmenich PostNL can count on top talent Max Poole again after four months of injury troubles, and UAE-Team Emirates is bringing back Jay Vine after his hard fall in the Basque Country in April. Movistar has announced that Nairo Quintana will be racing for the Spanish team, along with Ruben Guerreiro.
Il Lombardia 2024
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024