“I don't think Arensman is mentally ready for it yet" - Dutch media muse possibility of INEOS Grenadiers Vuelta plan-B

A stage winner at the Vuelta a Espana last year as he finished 6th overall, Thymen Arensman returns to Spain this year as the INEOS Grenadiers plan-B should anything happen to Geraint Thomas.

“I think it's a pity that Thomas is an outspoken leader. Two men are also possible, as we saw in the Giro d'Italia," Eurosport's Jan Hermsen comments as part of the Dutch channel's build-up to the Vuelta a Espana. "We don't have to beat around the bush that Arensman is ready, do we?"

Hermsen's Eurosport colleague, Jeroen Vanbelleghem isn't so sure however, instead doubting whether Arensman is ready to lead the general classification charge of a team like the INEOS Grenadiers. “I don't think Arensman is mentally ready for it yet. When you hear him in the Giro… And in his podcast Thomas said that Arensman was disappointed after a bad day. Then I think: it is still too early,” he explains. “Arensman can ride for a classification in the lee of Thomas. But if you say: we go for you. Then he will get very nervous.”

“Thomas said something in his podcast that I picked up anyway," Vanbelleghem concludes. "He said about Arensman: he looks very thin, I hope he is not exaggerating. It was just one sentence. Arensman is very lean, skinny. That's all Thomas said, I'm not going to go into it, but if Thomas says something like that, you have to listen."