INEOS' rising star Arensman returns to racing after long break: "Needed a good reset"

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."

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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.