The success of Thymen Arensman in the Tour de France stirred emotions not only among Dutch cycling fans. Sporza commentator José De Cauwer was also emotionally moved by Arensman’s stage win at La Plagne. The Belgian shared this in the podcast De Grote Plaat.
In the podcast hosted by former cyclist John den Braber and singer Johannes Sigmond, better known as 'Blaudzun', De Cauwer was asked which rider he enjoyed watching the most in 2025. “I enjoy watching Pogacar, I definitely enjoy Mathieu van der Poel as well. But above all, I enjoy seeing riders who make it happen for themselves. Someone like Arensman,” De Cauwer replied. “I’m not saying this just because I’m now in the Netherlands, not at all, but simply because he seizes those opportunities.”
Arensman grasped those opportunities in the Tour, though he also rode the Giro d'Italia earlier in the season. That race didn’t go as well. “For years, he’s struggled in the first week. Why? God only knows,” De Cauwer speculated. “But then, by the end, he rides well again. How does that happen? I’d love to be his coach. I would want to solve that. How? I don’t know, but I’d like to be there. What’s going on in that kid’s head? What’s the reason?”
‘He makes it happen’
In the subsequent Tour de France, everything fell into place for Arensman. He won two mountain stages, with the second one (to La Plagne) especially moving De Cauwer. “He went into the Tour with a different preparation, with different expectations. And bam, all of a sudden, it worked. And then he even dares to try things.”
“He’s riding up front with Vingegaard and Pogacar and then decides to break away from them as well. Just with the attitude: figure it out, I don’t care. He makes it happen. That really hits me emotionally.”
