"We kept our faith in him and now he is back" - Ineos DS happy to see Thymen Arensman back in Giro d'Italia top 10

Things haven't always been going well for Thymen Arensman in the opening weekend of Giro d'Italia. The Ducthman lost more than four minutes in first two stages, and his even father ventiled anger with INEOS Grenadiers coaches' work on social sites. Now we're a week further down the Corsa Rosa, and Arensman is back in the top 10 (thanks to an impressive time trial) and looks strong as ever.

"We have never had any doubts about Thymen, he is a real Grand Tour rider," sports director Zak Dempster emphasizes to In de Leiderstrui. "He has never had a bad third week and we are confident he will have a good third again. He is one of the better classification men here, although he is a bit further away. I'm looking forward to what he can do in the next two weeks, the rest can try to follow him."

With Geraint Thomas in third place on the rankings, INEOS has two important cards to play in the battle for the podium. "Thymen has always been a protected rider, that has never changed. He's never lost twenty minutes, so he's still competing. This indeed gives us two cards to play, a tactical advantage. We came here for a result and Thymen is ready to do that."

"We would of course prefer to be in the pink, but we are riding against a beast here," he refers to fantastic Tadej Pogacar. "In any case, Thymen is happy again. Of course he was disappointed, but we put an arm around him and he has good friends on the bus. We kept our faith in him and now he is back. And even if he hadn't come back, we support him. This remains cycling."