Geraint Thomas is now Thymen Arensman's director: "Performing in the general classification with open tactics"

Within the ranks of INEOS Grenadiers, there is admiration for the development of Thymen Arensman. After his impressive stage wins in last year's Tour de France, the Dutch rider seems to have taken another step this season. This is what sporting manager Geraint Thomas told WielerFlits. The debate over a role as team leader or stage hunter continues, and according to Thomas, the outcome is not yet decided: "He should do what excites him the most."

"I think what Thymen did last year was incredible. I think everyone will agree, especially that second stage he won where it was really man-to-man," Thomas refers to the attack on Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard on La Plagne. "He really took a step last year. We all knew he had good results before, but last year was on a different level."

"Thymen has brought that confidence with him now, and I think he is maturing as an athlete. Yes, the potential is enormous," says Arensman’s former teammate at INEOS Grenadiers. Last winter, the British team kept the pressure off the Dutch climber. "It’s mainly about keeping things simple and focusing on the important stuff, and not stressing about it. 'A simple life is an elite life' is a phrase we use a lot."

In that sense, much has stayed the same at INEOS and with Arensman. "He has a good, solid foundation with his coach Adrian Lopez and the staff behind the scenes. He just stayed calm and quietly worked on it, and that seems to work well for him," Thomas describes. "Of course, there will be setbacks. That’s part of the sport, so you have to learn to deal with the blows. But he has definitely put himself in a great position to attack this year with everything he’s got."

Then there's the discussion about Arensman’s role in the big races. As a pronounced team leader, things don’t always go smoothly for the Dutchman, while last year showed that a free role as attacker (two stage wins in the Tour) or a role as co-leader without pressure (third in Paris-Nice) also suits him well. Yet Arensman aims for a good GC result in the upcoming Giro d'Italia.

"In recent years I’ve always done two Grand Tours, so it’s very easy to say one for the general classification and one for stages. My strongest years are coming now, so we’ll keep going like this," he said about it himself to Wielerflits.

'He should do what excites him: perform in the general classification'
How does Geraint Thomas see this as ‘Director of Racing’? "I think he should do what excites him the most. He still wants to perform in the GC, so that makes sense," he says with the Giro in mind. "I think he should go there open-minded, with an open mind. The most important thing, and that’s how I’ve always approached it, is to start in the best possible shape. From there, you attack however you see fit and as the race develops."

"That’s the message I try to convey to most guys: stick to the basics, focus on the big picture, and don’t stress over all the tiny percentages; those will sort themselves out if needed. What matters is that it happens, and that’s the attitude they’ve had so far, which is good to see," says 39-year-old Thomas, who ended his 19-year career last winter.

Even more climbers
At INEOS Grenadiers, the focus has shifted more and more towards GC contenders in recent years. With the arrival of Oscar Onley and Kevin Vauquelin, and the presence of Carlos Rodriguez and Egan Bernal, Arensman will often share leadership responsibilities. A development that Thomas welcomes as sporting director. "Within the team, this creates a bit of healthy competition, which is always good. And when you race, it gives you options and takes pressure off individuals."

This was already visible at the Volta ao Algarve when Onley (fourth), Vauquelin (fifth), and Arensman (ninth) all finished in the top 10. In Tirreno-Adriatico, Arensman starts as the only one among the three mentioned. "They’re all young guys who are constantly developing. They all learn and learn together. Sometimes one is the sole leader, sometimes they share the role with others, but I think a mix of everything is always good. That makes it super exciting. We have such a young, enthusiastic group, and being part of it is great," G concludes with a laugh.