"Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel could do that, but that's not realistic for us" - Thymen Arensman on what to do and not do at brutal Kigali course

The Kigali World Championships are marked by the very difficult courses and weather conditions, which will definitely not fit all riders. However, this can also apply to the top favourites such as Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. Amongst those looking tot surprise is Thymen Arensman, a two-time stage winner at the Tour de France this summer.

"It's going great. It's really a matter of acclimatization here, and I'm not the only one who underestimated that a bit. So I'm also happy that I did the time trial and am now here for an extended period, even though it's a long time away from home," Arensman said in words to In de Leiderstrui. "It's also good of the federation that they flew the other guys in earlier, so everyone has time to adjust."

The Dutch rider also needed this acclimatization period badly, as he reported that in his first days he was nowhere near his usual level. "In training, I was already getting close to my wattage, while I was previously 30 or 40 watts off. 'Luckily,' Anna [van der Breggen] and Demi [Vollering] were the same, because sometimes it can be mentally difficult to accept when you're way off the numbers you know you can achieve. While I did set heart rate records from this year in the time trial, for example."

And in a race as difficult as this Sunday's, every detail matters, specially those as important as the power output. "It takes effort to race, so imagine what it's like when you have to ride a time trial or blast up the Mur de Kigal. The legs are fine, but it's more a matter of the lungs".

"We're all used to that, but this is a different continent with different conditions. That means it could also be a defensive race. If you go into the red once with an attack or whatever, you're done for," Arensman says, whilst in Zurich Quinn Simmons and Andrea Bagioli have said the same after following Pogacar's initial winning attack.

But there are exceptions to the rule. "Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel could do that, but that's not realistic for us. It might be fun for TV, but if you want to get a result, you're not going anywhere. You're just going to run into yourself," Arensman admits. However, the difficulty of the race could favour the climbers, and this could favour the leader of the Dutch national team.

"That's why I'm here, because I knew it could be a knockout race. Purely based on punch, I can't follow Remco or Tadej, but you also saw with the U23s that it was every man for himself. If I wake up on Sunday feeling like I can endure pain all day and am mentally ready for it, I might very well go far," he warns. After the incredible climbing displays he put in the Tour, it's not unthinkable to see him on the final podium this Sunday. And he believes not many will be finish the race.

"Within the team, we've discussed how many riders will finish. There were still quite a few among the under-23's, but 18 finished within 7 minutes. We think 25 to 30 will finish [this race]. It's so absurdly long and tough, this is truly next level. I think they deliberately put Mount Kigali after 160 kilometers".

Arensman also says that Tadej Pogacar will be put under pressure from early on, and not the other way around. "I suspect Belgium will take control from the start and create a knockout race, followed by a launch on that climb."

The minor details might be key in a race that might be 7 hours long, with altitude, heat and climbing from start to finish. "Hydration and nutrition will also be very important. You have to eat so much every hour, and even then you're still in the red, so that just reinforces my point about how tough it is".

However, Arensman does not have the pressure to save his season here, perhaps something that can be very valuable to him. "My season has already been a success, with my podium finish in Paris-Nice, my solo performance in the Tour of the Alps, and of course, those victories in the Tour. That's why I'm relaxed at the start: I'm happy with my season; it's already been a fantastic experience with the national team," he concluded.