"Champagne Tonight," cheered Arensman after incredible day in Giro d’Italia

Filippo Ganna won Tuesday’s individual time trial in the Giro d’Italia, but his teammate Thymen Arensman had just as much reason to celebrate. The Dutch rider delivered an outstanding performance in the time trial, finishing second. More importantly, he gained significant time on his general classification rivals. And so, it was time for… champagne!

Arensman has long been recognized as a strong rider against the clock, and he was tipped as an outsider for the stage victory. However, there was no match for his teammate Ganna, the Italian champion, who averaged an incredible 54.9 km/h over the 42-kilometer course, leaving the competition behind.

Even though Arensman finished nearly two minutes behind Ganna, his performance secured him the best result among the general classification contenders. He gained 1 minute and 6 seconds on Jonas Vingegaard and 2 minutes and 28 seconds on Felix Gall. As third in the overall standings, the rider from Deil will start Sunday’s Stage 10 aiming to build on this momentum.

There was plenty to celebrate, which Arensman shared on his Instagram. "Very happy with today’s performance. This is the result of great preparation with the team and super strong legs today. Being two minutes slower than Filippo Ganna has never felt so good," he said, playfully acknowledging his teammate.

"Thanks to the team and congratulations Pippo," he added in tribute to Ganna. And what about a party? "Champagne tonight," Arensman declared firmly. "Thanks for all the encouragement," he concluded.