Thymen Arensman is in such good form that his team had to disappoint him: “But I see it as a compliment”

Arensman’s performance backed up the strong time trial he had already shown at the Volta ao Algarve. “We’ve worked on a new time trial position, one where I can still put out my normal power. The team and I have worked very hard on that.”

How does that work in practice? “We’ve changed to a different position, one that is less aggressive. The power I can produce uphill, I can now also bring onto the flat. With the good equipment we have and by really pushing hard, you can go very fast on flat roads.”

“It was quite a fast course, so that worked out well here too. Against Filippo, who naturally has more of an advantage on this kind of course, the gap is still acceptable. But in Algarve, with more climbing and a longer distance, we had the same gap there as well. That suited me more,” Arensman explained.

That ride gave the Dutchman an excellent starting point for the general classification. “I’ve finished sixth here before, but the route is completely different this year. There isn’t really a long summit finish this time. It’s more punchy and sketchy, if I can put it that way. That’s not ideal for me, but it’s still very good preparation for the Giro. And of course I still want to do well.”

With Ganna in the blue leader’s jersey and Magnus Sheffield finishing fourth, it is fair to say the INEOS train has started strongly. “With Pippo, Magnus and me, we now have three riders high up in the GC, so that’s something we’ll play to. For us, that’s perfect, just like it was in the Volta ao Algarve.”

Still, Arensman knows he will need to stay alert on Tuesday’s gravel stage into San Gimignano. “I really like gravel, and I would also have liked to ride Strade Bianche, but now it’s only one gravel sector in the finale. And with a few sharp corners in there, I think that’s a bit like asking for trouble.”

So why did Arensman not ride Strade Bianche after all, in his own words? “I was a bit disappointed, because I really wanted to race it as a kind of revenge after the Giro. But I also see it as a compliment, and that’s how the team explained it to me.”

“They want to protect me on the road to the Giro, precisely because I’m doing everything right in training and really taking care of myself. For the level of risk we would have taken, a possible top five or top ten just wasn’t worth it,” said the rider, who is clearly carrying very good form.