Thymen Arensman was one of the most positive riders of 2025, even in terms of Fantacycling . The Dutchman, who finished the season with a rating of 20 fantamillions, collected 1,385 fantasy points, with two stage victories and a second-place finish at the Tour de France , and finishing third in the overall standings at Paris-Nice. In an interview with Helden Magazine, Arensman returned to his stage victories at the Tour de France and the extremely high level of performance at the Grande Boucle, particularly that of Pogacar and Vingegaard .

“I went all out, I pushed myself beyond the limit. After the finish, I collapsed. That's how far you go when you're trying to win a stage in a Grand Tour with riders like Pogacar and Vingegaard chasing you.”  

Arensman also spoke about the Giro d'Italia stage that finished in Siena , where he battled with the Belgian and Del Toro in the final kilometers. In the end, the Dutchman had to settle for eighth place:

“I’m pretty sure I could have made life difficult for Wout and Del Toro in the finale,” said the Team Ineos rider. “A few days later, Wout told me that every time I was in front pushing, he was at his limit.”

It's still a year of great growth for Arensman ; a season in which the 1999-born rider may have realized his true calling, that of a "stage hunter" rather than a general classification racer: "In the end, it's just cycling. For me as a rider and for the people who love this sport, it's an important 'secondary problem,' but a secondary one nonetheless. In recent years, cycling has been my main focus, and you end up just fighting yourself."

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency