Geraint Thomas reflects on Thymen Arensman's stand out season at Netcompany INEOS: 'It was psychologically consistent'
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Follow us on GoogleLast year, Thymen Arensman achieved the best result ever by a Dutch rider in the general classification of a Grand Tour. He finished fourth in the Giro d'Italia, won by Jonas Vingegaard, which was also his own best-ever finish in a three-week stage race. Geraint Thomas reflected on this in his podcast with Luke Rowe on behalf of Netcompany INEOS.
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Thomas thinks Arensman's mental game has been a lot stronger in 2026
Arensman had a strong Giro d'Italia, in which he was in the top ten starting on day two and ultimately finished fourth. “He finished just 30 or 40 seconds off the podium. I think it was a huge step forward for him personally, compared to previous years.”
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"Mentally, too—or how do you put it?" Thomas searches for the right words. "It was just psychologically consistent. Much more consistent. He's worked a lot with Steve Peters [a sports psychiatrist] this year, and I think that's definitely paid off."
In addition, Arensman is happy with his collaboration with his trainer. “He has an incredibly strong bond with his coach, Adrian Lopez Garrido, and I think that combination has simply worked very well. Yes, this is the best result he’s ever had in a Grand Tour.”
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Thymen Arensman and Egan Bernal in the Giro.
Thomas sees that Arensman has taken a step forward
"There was a lot of talk beforehand about how he’s not good at the opening stage or the start of a Grand Tour, or how he can easily get dropped," Thomas continues. "In the Giro, he was incredibly consistent. He didn’t make any mistakes, and that’s a big step forward."
Thomas echoes Arenmsan's own words, in which he publicly thanked Egan Bernal. "Egan was really great about it, because they had some pretty open and honest conversations toward the end."
"On that last day, Thymen really felt like, 'I trust him,' and they stayed together, and he brought him back...," Thomas recalls. "And of course, in the end, it didn't make any difference for the podium, but I think it was just a very educational moment for Thymen in general."
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Clarice WebsterEditor
Clarice has been following cycling her whole life, wroting about Thibaut Pinot (among others) for her university magazine while earning her masters in Journalism. She is passionate about furthering equality in sports coverage, and has taken huge inspiration from pillars of women’s cycling like Beryl Burton, Marianne Vos, and Laura Kenny.
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026