Why Arensman's father is wrong and meme-group-companion Sheffield keeps dreaming because of Kuss

At INEOS Grenadiers, all eyes are on Geraint Thomas and his quest for the pink jersey this month, but the British team also stressed that it is not heading to Rome with just seven followers of the Welshman. IDLProCycling.com unravelled what exactly the roles are of Thymen Arensman and Magnus Sheffield, two jokers in the team who also get along very well with each other.

Arensman (24) and Sheffield (22) are close in age and are the two youngsters in the Giro team. Sheffield is the debutant of this duo in a grand tour, really still a rookie. That can't be said anymore about Arensman. The Dutchman is about to start his seventh (!) grand tour. In 2020 and 2021 he participated in the Vuelta a España for DSM-Firmenich PostNL, and in 2022 he expanded to the Giro-Vuelta double. That year, he scored a stage win and finished sixth in the GC in the Vuelta a España.

After his move to INEOS Grenadiers in 2023, he rode - in the shadow of Thomas - to sixth place in the Giro last year. The Vuelta at the end of last season was the first grand tour he did not finish, due to a hard crash. In short: Arensman already has a wealth of experience. And to think that there's still room for growth, as he says to this website. "I've trained a bit differently, a bit harder and maybe an extra hour. And I'm paying more attention to my diet... This is how I build my career, doing a bit more each year. This race will show whether that was a good choice. I'm a year older, so I'm adding an extra layer to get a bit stronger every year."

What are Thymen Arensman's Giro ambitions?

Elephant in the room: what exactly is Arensman going to do in the Giro d'Italia? In the official communication from INEOS, only Thomas was mentioned. Arensman was portrayed as an important helper. "He returns to play a crucial role in the mountains for Thomas," it was said. This was reinforced by a message on X by father Martijn Arensman, undoubtedly innocently intended. In it, senior Arensman stated that his son will not be a protected rider and will be played as a domestique. Son Thymen sighs when we confront him with it: "Don't listen too much to my father, haha!"

Because Arensman is in the Giro not just to support his team but to compete for himself as well. "Last year, I proved that I can finish sixth in the general classification. It worked quite well, with Geraint finishing second, me sixth, and Laurens De Plus tenth. And that was after Tao Geoghegan Hart and Pavel Sivakov had to drop out. It can be effective to have multiple strategies for the classification, so the team plans to let me compete for the GC too. I want to give it everything I've got; I can't do more than my best. I'm not fixated on the results; the race will dictate that."

With that cleared up, let's talk about two crucial factors in the Giro with Arensman. First: the two long time trials, which together make up more than seventy kilometers against the clock. "I'm really pleased with these two long time trials. Time trialing is a beautiful discipline and so many kilometers are essential for competing in a classification. It's also one of the reasons G and I are here. I enjoy them, although I might feel differently while I'm cycling. The preparation process is enjoyable though."

Second factor: the weather. Arensman has been seen exhausted and dehydrated on the road after finishes in the past. Just last year, he struggled in the heat during the Giro's opening time trial. "I think I'm improving in dealing with the heat, but ultimately, it doesn't bother me much. Previously, we wore a black kit, which certainly didn't help," he notes, referring to his time with dsm-Firmenich PostNL, then known as Team DSM. "The weather for the opening weekend is expected to be dry and fairly warm, so it shouldn't be an issue. It's the same conditions for everyone."

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The stars at INEOS are big fans of Arensman

It all sounds very down-to-earth, and that's exactly how Arensman fits into the group. During a press conference with the big stars of INEOS, IDLProCycling.com asked about Arensman's role in the team. Filippo Ganna was especially complimentary: "Thymen is the opposite of me. I might have a beer in the evening, something he wouldn't do as quickly towards his big goal. I have a lot of respect for him because he can go in one direction and not deviate from that path. He is one of the most focused athletes I've seen. He is willing to give up everything for a goal. You either have that, or you don't."

Thomas calls Arensman "not the loudest in the group, but very talented." "When it comes to grand tours, he's already proven with top-ten finishes that he has a big future." Sheffield was roommates with the Dutchman during the Tour of Romandie and thus has some inside information: "I've raced a lot with Thymen this year and he's exactly as you say: calm, easygoing, and a good teammate. He's a funny guy to hang around with, we crack up when we send each other videos or memes on the phone."

Videos or memes? Arensman laughs when asked. "Magnus and I started an Instagram meme group, where we also send silly videos daily in our WhatsApp group. We try to lighten the mood, and I aim to stir things up a bit more in my second year at INEOS. Investing in team spirit eventually pays off," he says. His teammates' compliments clearly mean a lot to him. "It's wonderful to hear, of course. I enjoy being on the team; it's great fun with all the guys."

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Sheffield also has ambitions, but he rates them appropriately

Back to Sheffield, because the fact that the American is debuting in the Giro d'Italia is not straightforward. In June of 2023, he was lying in a ravine, in the same turn where Gino Mäder lost his life during the descent of the Tour of Switzerland. Sheffield got away with a concussion, from which he quietly recovered back home in America. In an emotional statement via the team, he looked back on the crash last season. In September, he returned to racing in the Tour of Britain.

Since then, it's been business as usual. Sheffield raced a full autumn season and has been active this year in the Algarve, Tirreno, Strade Bianche, the four major Flemish classics, and recently in Romandie. When asked how he's managed the emotional rollercoaster of the past eight months, he pauses briefly, the emotion palpable. Then he looks serious: "You raise a very good point."

Sheffield explains that he feels good again. "Romandie was also the first race in Switzerland since my crash. It reminded me of everything that happened, but I was never scared or overwhelmed. Quite the opposite: I was very happy to be back in Switzerland because I love the country. I felt at peace there. The last eight months have definitely been full of ups and downs, perhaps more downs than ups. Lately, I've been joking with the guys about how often I finish second, especially in time trials. That makes me eager to grab a victory, and the Giro is the perfect opportunity for that. But just being back at this level after the crash and this period is especially wonderful."

Looking forward, and when it comes to ambitions, Sheffield is certainly hungry. He has already made an impression this year on the time trial bike, with second places in the Algarve and Romandie. But he also has his dreams in the general classification, bolstered by the Vuelta victory of his compatriot Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike) in 2023. "Kuss's Vuelta victory has certainly played an important role, but also consider Matteo Jorgenson who won in Paris-Nice. He is also an inspiration for me, to perform in races that are so dominated by Europeans. Sepp’s victory brings hope, not only for me but for other Americans as well. I don't see myself wearing the pink jersey in this Giro yet, but maybe later in my career."