"I don't know what I'm doing" - Thymen Arensman shocked by his own climbing ability as he holds off Vingegaard and Pogacar
Cyclocross
Thymen Arensman has had a dream Tour de France, winning his second stage this Friday afternoon in La Plagne. The INEOS Grenadiers rider started off the race without GC ambitions, and after finding his legs he has thrived to come away with the British team's sole successes in the race.
"I can't believe it. Winning one stage is already incredible, but now I'm doing it against the strongest in the world. I'm dreaming, I don't know what I'm doing," the Dutchman admitted in a post-race interview. Arensman didn't benefit from a presence in the breakaway, but instead fully relied on his climbing ability on the day. UAE Team Emirates - XRG chased down every move until the final ascent, and after Tadej Pogacar couldn't drop Jonas Vingegaard, the duo let Arensman go up the road. There was a high pace throughout the whole climb but despite this, the 25-year old put out what was perhaps the most impressive performance of his career to take a mythical stage win on the final mountain stage of this race.
"After the descent towards La Plagne, Tobias [Foss] was still there. We chatted on the radio. I said 'I'm going to try to follow, tomorrow is your day, today I'll see what I can do'. I was in control and thought I'd just give it a try. And then they were looking at each other."
And with the perfect opportunity created, Arensman managed to deliver INEOS with it's second win after he also conquered the summit finish in Superbagnères. After a disappointing Giro d'Italia where he had hoped to play a big role in the overall classification but couldn't find his form, he has managed to turn around his Grand Tour campaign to finish it off in the best way possible. Stages 20 and 21 will still provide opportunities for the British team to succeed as they will feature some hilly terrain.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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