"Everything is in accordance with the plan": Thymen Arensman secures podium at Tour of the Alps ahead of the Giro d'Italia

The general classification favorites for the upcoming Giro d'Italia wrapped up their final dress rehearsal this Friday at the Tour of the Alps. Among the top contenders fine-tuning their form for the three-week Grand Tour was INEOS Grenadiers rider Thymen Arensman, who had not raced since Tirreno-Adriatico. The Dutch rider confirmed his status as a key man to watch in Italy by finishing fourth on the final stage, securing a solid third place overall in the general classification.

During the decisive final stage, Arensman showed strong form but ultimately wasn't able to match the explosive acceleration of Giulio Pellizzari. The Italian launched a solo attack, leaving Arensman and the rest of the favorites to work together in a desperate attempt to reel him back in.

Despite outnumbering the lone leader, the chasing group couldn't close the gap before the finish. Arensman backed his descending skills to claw back some vital seconds, but he admitted that Pellizzari was simply on another level on the day.

"At that moment, you don't think much, you just try to go as fast as possible and Giulio was a bit stronger today," Arensman explained in quotes gathered by Cyclism Actu.

"It looked possible, as we were three against one, to gain time on him, but in the end he managed to keep the advantage. We kept him quite close and with the descent, I know I can go quite fast so I thought I was going to take some time but for some reason, he was taking back time, so well done to him, it's deserved."

The Tour of the Alps served as the perfect testing ground for several overall contenders, including Michael Storer, Egan Bernal and Ben O'Connor, before the Giro d'Italia kicks off its three-week journey from Bulgaria to Rome. For Arensman, securing an overall podium finish is a massive positive, especially considering his recent lack of racing miles and the specific route of this preparation event.

While he knows there is still crucial work to be done before the Grand Tour officially begins, the Dutchman is satisfied with where his fitness is currently sitting. "I am happy with my week, especially since there was no time trial and I hadn't raced for a long time," Arensman noted. "I wouldn't say I am confident, but I think everything is in accordance with the plan and we continue to build."