Thymen Arensman does not hide his happiness for an exceptional year. The runner of INEOS Grenadiers he was a great protagonist this season, in which he won one stage of the Tour of the Alps 2025 (who finished in second place in the general classification) and above all in two fractions of the Tour de France 2025first on the run at Luchon-Superbagnères and then at La Plagne, attacking in the face of the champions Tadej Pogacar e Jonas Vingegaard. With three prestigious victories, the Dutchman was also able to digest a rather subdued 2025 Giro d’Italia, in which he quickly dropped out of the rankings (losing ground already in the first stage) and never went beyond the eighth place in the stage obtained in Siena. But, above all, he seems to have found some serenity again.
In an interview granted to NU.nlthe class of ’99 declared: “It was the happiest year of my life. I had to think about it for a moment, because cycling is only a small percentage of life. It’s secondary. An extremely important secondary thing, because I engage 24/7 with my body for cycling. But my personal life weighs much more when it comes to whether I’m happy. This year my girlfriend also came to live in Andorra. We have a very sweet little dog, everyone in my family is healthy. This is why it was a beautiful year for me.”
Previously, Thymen Arensman he spoke bluntly about the disappointment in the pink race: “After the first stage of the Giro I sat in the back of the bus crying. I wanted it too much. I don’t gain much from talking about my problems on TV. But I thought it was important to show young athletes that it’s completely normal to have doubts and talk about them. Lately I have become more honest with myself. I listen to my body more. I always wanted to do something more, to train for five more hours even if I was tired. Now I run four hours if I feel it’s right.”
Instead, retracing the two stage successes at the 2025 Tour, a NU.nl the Dutchman said he saw his family along the Col de Tourmalet in the fourteenth stage, in which he then dominated the finish of Luchon-Superbagnères: “When I raced on the Tourmalet, I barely knew where my parents would be, so I was looking for them. It was a beautiful moment when I saw them, with the two dogs. After winning in Luchon-Superbagnères I saw my parents in the hotel in the evening. It was great to share the victory with them. My family and girlfriend don’t just see a post on Instagram or a message in the media, but also my worst moments. For me the two stage victories at the Tour were the icing on the cake. I know what the process was before they arrived. This is what I will remember.”
