Thymen Arensman isn’t ready to talk about Giro podium yet

Will Thymen Arensman stand on the final podium in Rome at the Giro d'Italia in just under a week? The Dutch rider certainly has good chances entering the final week. The Netcompany INEOS rider is currently in fourth place, but he still has a clear shot at second place, although he himself does not want to think about that (yet).

He has hardly made any noise in recent weeks, but on the last rest day, Arensman did speak to the media during a digital press moment. The word 'podium spot' was mentioned frequently by the attending journalists, but Arensman did not allow himself to get carried away with big talk.

"It's actually very simple: I just have to ride as hard as possible from A to B," NOS quotes him. "I'm not focused on the result that comes with that. This is the best way for me to perform. It's not rocket science. During a race, it doesn't help to think about that."

"Sport is tough and negativity doesn’t help much"
Arensman takes it day by day and tries to isolate himself as much as possible, hoping to stay in his 'bubble.' So far, this seems to be working, even though in previous years he sometimes showed his emotions.

"But in the end, that doesn’t help you perform. If I’m a bit emotional now, I just follow my routine," he continues. "Sport is tough and negativity doesn’t help much, even though it’s part of being human. We looked for a way to handle that and I think we succeeded."

However, this does not mean Arensman feels nothing during the race. "We are all still emotional people. You keep the confidence that when it matters, you just give it your all and don’t downplay everything. There is still plenty of emotion in the sport."