Thymen Arensman on losing third place at the Giro d’Italia: 'Hats off to him'

Thymen Arensman of Netcompany INEOS did everything he could on Friday, but he still lost third place in the Giro d’Italia to Jai Hindley of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. The Dutchman gave a short interview afterwards to CyclingProNet, in which he spoke about the queen stage.

Arensman was put under pressure on the very first climb, as Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek) and Michael Storer (Tudor) attacked there. The two virtually moved ahead of him and the other podium contenders on the road by taking a three-and-a-half-minute advantage.

“I expected it to start that early. You want to create as big a gap as possible, and then it is logical to attack from the foot of the climb,” the Dutchman said.

That meant Netcompany INEOS had to defend. “It makes me very proud and honoured that a champion like Egan Bernal rode for me,” said Arensman, who also received strong help from the likes of Embret Svestad-Bårdseng.

On the final climb in the Dolomites, it was up to Decathlon CMA CGM and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe to put Arensman under pressure. They succeeded, with Gall and Hindley taking more than a minute on the podium contender.

“It was a hard day, but that was true for everyone. I went all out, just like everyone else,” Arensman said. “I did everything I could, and the team did too, and I can be proud of that. I went as hard as I possibly could and Hindley will have done the same, so hats off to him. I can only control my own legs.”

Saturday brings the final mountain stage of the Giro. “We will keep trying. I will recover now and then I will go for it again,” Arensman concluded, who now has to make up 29 seconds on Hindley. “The finish is in Rome.”