Thymen Arensman tackles familiar final climb at Vuelta a Espana: "I've done that final climb twenty or thirty times this year alone"

Andorra serves as a home for many pro riders throughout the year. With no doubt at least a dozen riders will race close to home today at the Vuelta a Espana, Thymen Arensman being one of them and he's very excited to race the final climb which he knows like the back of his hand.

“It's going to be a nice day for me, we're passing a mile or two from my house," Arensman said ahead of the start of the stage. "My parents and girlfriend are also present. I've done that final climb twenty or thirty times this year alone."

The conditions will be far from ideal but this will already be an important day for the overall classification. Some riders may want to race conservatively as it is the first uphill challenge of a long third-week race (and some have already crashed in the opening days) however others will have been looking forward to this day for months. Arensman is most certainly one of them.

“I already have good memories of the Vuelta, I hope to make even better memories of it. It was my first Grand Tour, in 2020 again, and last year I won the queen stage and finished sixth in the standings," he adds. He and Geraint Thomas will form the base of INEOS' GC goal here at the Vuelta.