Still no Thymen Arensman in Strade Bianche as INEOS director explains why

Arensman impressed last year on the gravel stage of the Giro d’Italia, where he suffered bad luck at a crucial moment. The Dutchman’s chain jammed in his rear derailleur, forcing him to finish the stage on teammate Ben Turner’s bike. He still managed to come home eighth on the day.

With his background in cyclo-cross, the white roads of Tuscany should suit him well — and he was originally expected to return there on Saturday. But Arensman did not make INEOS Grenadiers’ final selection for Strade Bianche. “That’s with Tirreno-Adriatico in mind,” Norwegian sports director Kurt Asle Arvesen clarified.

“We want Thymen to have the ideal build-up towards that race, so that’s why we decided not to ride Strade Bianche,” the director explained. “He will arrive in Italy on Saturday evening and he’s doing well.”

“It’s not so much that we want to avoid risks with the Giro in mind, because you can just as easily hit the deck at home in Andorra,” he continued. “It’s more about Tirreno-Adriatico, because he’s in good condition and he’s been able to prepare really well.”

So Arensman is still set to start on Monday in the individual time trial in Lido di Camaiore, where he is aiming for a strong overall classification. Egan Bernal will also miss Strade Bianche and, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Colombian will not start Tirreno-Adriatico on Monday either