Thymen Arensman’s 2024 has been anything but quiet. Much has been written about the young Dutchman’s rollercoaster year, which has seen him tackle some serious challenges. From gaining weight during the Giro d’Italia to extending his contract with INEOS Grenadiers until 2027, and eventually having to withdraw from the Vuelta a España due to COVID, it’s been a hectic few months.
Following his withdrawal from the Vuelta, Arensman went off the radar for a while. However, he recently reappeared after catching up with In De Leiderstrui, where he revealed how he’s been recovering and keeping active. His recovery, it turns out, involved an epic bikepacking journey all the way from Andorra to Neerbeek in the Netherlands.
At just 24 years old, Arensman already has a stage win at the Vuelta a España under his belt from 2022, and he joined INEOS Grenadiers in 2023. His recent adventure, though, had little to do with racing and more to do with rediscovering his love for the bike.
The trip started in La Massana, Andorra, and took Arensman and his cycling buddy Guy on a nine-day adventure, fully loaded with gear, including sandals strapped under the elastic. The first day saw them ride 135 kilometres to Bouriege, France, where the difference between a World Tour pro and a cycling enthusiast became clear—Arensman took the lead for most of the ride while Guy drafted behind. Day two was an even bigger challenge as they rode 191 kilometres to Carmaux, all while navigating the difficulties of finding a place to sleep along the way, as Arensman documented in his Polar Steps report.
Though this trip wasn’t part of his structured training regimen, Arensman did include some V02 max sessions along the way. V02 max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen an athlete can utilize during intense exercise. It’s a key indicator of aerobic endurance, and incorporating such sessions into the bike packing trip ensured that he kept his fitness in check even while enjoying some freedom on the road.
After four days of riding, Arensman took a well-deserved rest at the house of fellow pro cyclist Romain Bardet near Clermont-Ferrand. The seventh day of the journey was particularly demanding, as they covered a staggering 246 kilometres to Sainte-Menehould, overcoming the challenge of a flat tire along the way. The adventure finally wrapped up on day nine, with a relatively shorter ride of 110 kilometres to Neerbeek.
Reflecting on the trip, Arensman said, “It was a great success. I had a lot of fun and got some good training in, so that’s nice.”
He continued, “It was nice to try something like this, to do something different from the highly structured training. I still trained very well, probably with the most hours I’ve ever done in such a timeframe, but in a different way—new routes every day and a bit more freedom.”
Now that his bikepacking adventure is behind him, Arensman is shifting his focus to the 2025 season, particularly the Tour de France.
“Since the Vuelta, I’ve been working closely with my nutritionist to make strides with my diet. I need to become more consistent there, as that’s where I can make the most progress. But it remains challenging to keep my weight stable.”
As for his goals in the Tour, Arensman is not aiming for the general classification right away. “It seems like a good time to ride the Tour. Ideally, not aiming for the general classification right away, but rather helping the team, watching, and experiencing the Tour circus. In another grand tour, I could then go for the GC.”
He added, “The ideal combination: targeting the Giro, with plenty of time trial kilometres, for a classification, and then the Tour. But the team decides.”
After a year filled with highs and lows, Thymen Arensman looks ready to tackle whatever comes next. Whether it’s in the Giro or the Tour, expect to see him making his mark once again.
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